the first phase of a £2.3 million M56 project affecting journeys to Manchester Airport was completed.
Work to resurface a number of slip roads and large sections of the westbound and eastbound carriageways along the M56 between junction 4 and Wythenshawe and junction 6 at Hale Barns is continuing into August but the remainder of the work will not affect people’s access to the airport at junction 5.
With the overnight work starting in June and including the eastbound carriageway between junction 6 and junction 5 – affecting people heading to the airport for early morning flights or work – National Highways was keen to get this phase of the work out of the way before the main summer holiday getaway starts.
National Highways project manager Rob Williams said:
“We’d really like to thank people heading to the airport for work or early morning flights for their patience– especially in June when the eastbound M56 was closed at junction 7 for five nights with a lengthy motorway diversion in place.
“This is important, if routine, wear and tear work which we can only really do at this time of the year in decent weather. We’re making good progress and hope motorway users are already enjoying safer and smoother journeys along this section of the M56.”
With all the eastbound carriageway resurfacing completed ten days ago, the focus of the work turned to the westbound M56 with the project resuming last Monday (15 July).
The remaining overnight carriageway closures – with none affecting access to the airport – are currently scheduled:
Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 July – M56 westbound junction 5 to 6
Sunday 4, Thursday 8 and Friday 9 August – M56 westbound junction 5 to 6
All the work, which also includes replacing some bridge joints and traffic detection loops in the road surface, is being done overnight between 9pm and 5am (7am on Saturdays) when the motorway is at its quietest.
