MOTORISTS in the town may face a traffic headache while work takes place to create 'smart motorways' across the north west.

Highways England has announced it plans to invest £1.5 billion over the next five years including creating nearly 80 miles of smart motorway.

Work will start on seven new smart motorway projects by 2020, in addition to the project currently taking place on the M62 and M60, cutting congestion and improving journey times for drivers.

Two new smart motorway schemes near the town include a nine-mile section on the M62 between junctions 10 at the M6 interchange near Warrington and a 10-mile section of the M6 between junction 21a at the M62 interchange and junction 26 at the M58 interchange near Skelmersdale.

Alan Shepherd, north west regional director at Highways England, said: “We’re creating the biggest increase in capacity on the road network for 50 years including nearly 80 miles of smart motorway where the hard shoulder will be converted into extra lanes and variable speed limits will be used to keep traffic moving.

"New bypasses and new and improved motorway junctions will also all help to tackle congestion, benefitting both businesses and local residents.

“The north west’s motorways and dual carriageways form the backbone for the region’s economy and this huge investment will ensure they remain healthy for many years to come.”

During 2015/16 alone, 130 miles of lanes on motorways and major A roads will be resurfaced, 40 miles of safety barriers will be installed, and 2,900 lighting columns will be upgraded.

Jeremy Bloom, Highways England’s major projects director for the north, said: “The construction work will, of course, bring some disruption in the short term but we will ensure that we keep this to a minimum to keep traffic flowing.

“When the schemes are completed, road users will experience safer, more reliable and less congested journeys.”