Rochdale Observer

Newly-opened Smart motorway ‘full of potholes’

- Charlotte.cox@men-news.co.uk @ccoxmenmed­ia

THE saga of the longawaite­d fourth lane on the M62 is set to continue after motorists found the stretch was ‘littered’ with potholes.

Highways England has confirmed it will carry out work to resurface the road during yet more overnight works.

The M62’s fourth lane on the 17-mile Smart Motorway opened last month - a day later than planned after being delayed by fog.

It followed three-and-ahalf years of works to convert both the M62 past Rochdale and the M60 around Manchester into a smart motorway.

Now, both the eastbound and westbound routes of the M62 between Rochdale and Simister Island have been opened with four lanes.

But some drivers were disappoint­ed when they tried out the revamped route.

Anthony Schofield said: “Since they opened the four lanes it’s a joke and full of potholes that they haven’t fixed.

“Why spend all that money making a fourth lane and not make the carriagewa­y smooth and decent?”

A spokesman for Highways England said: “We opened the extra lanes on the M62 near Rochdale just before Christmas, increasing capacity by a third for the 180,000 drivers who use the route every day.

“We have arranged repairs when potholes have formed on the M62 recently due to freezing weather conditions and we will be carrying out planned resurfacin­g work on the whole length of smart motorway until the summer, providing smoother journeys for drivers.

“The work will take place using overnight closures so that there will be no impact on drivers during the day.”

While works were underway, there was a 50mph average speed limit in place and lines of traffic cones, causing delays and jams.

The 50mph limit is expected to remain in place for the time being until variable speed limits are introduced, which will automatica­lly change in response to the flow of traffic.

The road will also have electronic signs giving drivers journey time updates and details on incidents.

Signs will also be installed on the M60 between junctions eight and 10 near the Trafford Centre.

Work to fit 350 electronic signs, more than 100 sensors and 50 CCTV cameras on the remaining stretch of the smart motorway between junctions 10 and 18 on the M60 will continue into 2018.

As the Observer reported in September highway bosses admitted that the roadworks, originally due for completion in December, were set to take longer than promised due to their complexity, keeping lanes open for drivers in the day and ‘other issues’.

The project is due to be completed by summer 2018.

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 ??  ?? ●●Motorists using the M62 have found the new stretch including the fourth lane ‘littered’ with potholes
●●Motorists using the M62 have found the new stretch including the fourth lane ‘littered’ with potholes

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