MOTORISTS face disruption when sections of the M60 are closed for six nights.

Contractors for Highways England are closing parts of the highway to continue work on the Greater Manchester smart motorway upgrade.

The closures will affect junction 17, for Prestwich and Whitefield, and 15 for the M61 interchange — which will be shut for temporary narrow lanes to be installed.

Paul Hampson, Highways England’s project manager, said: “The smart motorway scheme is a major upgrade to tackle congestion and reduce journey times. The extra lane on the M62 will increase capacity between the North West and Yorkshire, and the variable limit will tackle stop-start conditions by keeping vehicles moving.

“We’re doing everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum by closing short stretches of the motorway overnight when traffic levels are at their lowest. The narrow lanes will allow us to keep four lanes open in each direction without the need for lane closures.

“They’ll be clearly-signed diversions in place when sections of the motorway are closed and we’re encouraging drivers who intend to travel overnight to plan their journeys in advance.”

The anticlockwise side of the M60 will be closed overnight between junctions 18 (M62 and M66) and 17 (Prestwich/Whitefield) on Monday January 11, and between junctions 17 and 14 (East Lancs Road) on Tuesday, January 12. The clockwise carriageway will then be closed overnight between junctions 14 and 17 on Wednesday, January 13, and between junctions 17 and 18 on Thursday, January 14.

The M62 will also be closed overnight in both directions between junctions 19 (Heywood/Middleton) and 20 (Rochdale/Oldham) on Saturday 9 and Saturday, January 16. All of the closures will take place between 10pm and 6am, with clearly-signed diversions in place.

When the smart motorway goes live, variable speed limits will be used along the route to keep traffic moving. The temporary narrow lanes between junctions 15 and 18 of the M60 will allow engineers to install technology at the side of the motorway needed to monitor the flow of traffic.

The narrow lanes will mean four lanes can be kept open in each direction while also providing additional space at the side of the motorway so that work can be carried out safely.

To stay up to date with the latest developments, visit: www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/m60-junction-8-to-m62-junction-20.