Motorway junction works lined up
SMOOTHER and safer journeys through one of the North West’s busiest motorway junctions are a step nearer after the award of the contract for the £138million project.
Highways England is responsible for the plans to improve Simister Island interchange, which serves the M60, M66 and M62.
Now, the governmentowned company has appointed Costain to design and manage the construction of the junction improvement.
The scheme will provide a link from the eastbound to southbound clockwise M60 for the first time. In doing this, it will remove a significant number of vehicles from the roundabout itself.
A free-flow link from the northbound to westbound anti-clockwise M60 will also be built and providing more room on the southbound M66 will help drivers join the eastbound M62 and negotiate the roundabout for M60 access more easily.
Highways England project manager Nicola Eastwell said: “We’re really pleased to now have a delivery partner on board for this major improvement.
“After we announced the preferred options for the improvements in January we’re looking forward to working with Costain and design partner Jacobs to deliver a further consultation at the end of the year and – subject to approval – get construction off the ground before the end of 2025.”
Malcolm Bell, Costain programme director, said it is a “critical project supporting economic growth in the North of England”.
Mr Bell said: “We are pleased to contribute to the development of the local area by connecting communities and bringing additional benefits such as skills and employment events, helping to support the needs of the local area.”
Highways England says the Simister Island scheme will improve the journey experience for users of this section of network by reducing peak congestion and providing faster average speeds; reducing journey times; and delivering more reliable journey times.
Around 90,000 vehicles go through the motorway interchange every single day. A public consultation on the scheme is now being planned for this winter, and a planning application is due to be submitted next year.
If the plans are approved by the government then work on the project could start by spring 2025.