Motorway relief plan (From Warrington Guardian)

Motorway relief plan

CONGESTION relief could be one of the benefits for Warrington motorists after highway chiefs unveiled their 10-year plan for the M6.

And improvements have been promised for slip roads at the M6-M62 interchange at Croft, under a strategy formulated by the Highways Agency.

An ongoing study, concentrating on the motorway from junction 20 at Lymm, to the Scottish Borders, has identified a number of ongoing issues.

Regular congestion at certain locations is one headache - repairs to Thelwall Viaduct often reduce traffic speeds to a crawl through the borough.

Accident blackspots were also pinpointed, as were places where drivers have difficulties getting on to the M6 at peak times.

Agency chiefs have vowed to examine the root causes of congestion, from Lymm to Lancashire.

Extra safety measures, such as improved fencing along the route and more roadside emergency telephones, were recommended during consultation exercises for the strategy.

And the introduction of 'low noise' road surfaces, whenever repairs are deemed necessary, was another suggestion.

A signposting review, so key towns and cities, ports and airports are properly represented, was proposed.

And in some locations more attention should be paid to crossings for pedestrians and cyclists, it was claimed.

l See page 21 for a rundown of the new motorway duties now being assumed by Highways Agency officers.