A warning has been issued to holidaymakers and staff driving to Manchester Airport ahead of major redevelopment work along parts of the M56 motorway.
All work to revitalize one of the busiest parts of the M56 – around Manchester Airport – will be carried out overnight and the project will start next month.
The National Highways has not revealed an exact timetable for the work, but bosses said they ‘aim to be well out of the way before the start of the school holiday period’.
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Drivers heading to the airport have been warned they may need to ‘take some extra time to get to work or check in for flights’ due to the lane closures.
The work includes worn sections of both the eastbound and westbound carriageways between junction five at the airport and junction six at Hale Barns. The work will start on Monday 10 June.
Some of the slip roads at junctions five and six, as well as junction four for Wythenshawe, will also be rebuilt, National Highways said.
A statement today said: “All of the work – which will also include replacing some bridge connections and traffic detection loops in the road surface – will be carried out at night, with occasional lane or driveway closures. Working hours will be between 9:00 PM and 5:00 AM – or 7:00 AM. on Saturdays – when the highway is quietest.”
Rob Williams, National Highways project manager, said: “This is important on routine and high-wear work. We aim to be well out of the way before the start of the school holiday period. We are working closely with the airport to ensure that they are aware of our timetable and a small number of overnight closures, which means drivers need some extra time to get to work or check in for flights.”
The renewal program includes a complete closure of the eastbound carriageway between junction seven and junction five, en route to the airport, for five nights from the evening of Monday 17 June to the morning of Saturday 22 June.
National Highways said motorists traveling to the airport and beyond can use an alternative motorway route via the northbound M6, eastbound M62, anti-clockwise M60 and westbound M56.
A further full closure of the eastern carriageway, between junction six and junction four, is planned for the nights of Tuesday and Wednesday 11 and 12 June and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 8, 9 and 10 July. A diversion will be in place from junction six via the local road network using Runger Lane/Thorley Lane to the airport and onwards to junction 4 via the A555, Styal Road and Simonsway.
The Runger Lane/Thorley Lane diversion route to the airport will also be in place when the eastbound M56 is closed between junction six and junction five on Thursday and Friday 13 and 14 June, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 24, 25 and 26 June and Thursday and Friday July 4 and 5.
There will also be two ramp closures affecting travel to the airport:
- Eastbound exit at junction 5 on Friday 28 June, requiring motorists on the eastbound M56 to turn off at junction 3a – joining the westbound M56, returning to junction 5 and using the westbound exit to get to the airport.
- Westbound exit at junction 5 on Wednesday 17 July, with motorists on the westbound M56 having to turn off at junction 6 instead – joining the eastbound M56, returning to junction 5 and using the eastbound exit to get to the airport.