M62 junction 20 to 25 smart motorway

Following a Government announcement in April 2023, a scheme to upgrade the M62 between junctions 20 to 25 is cancelled.

Upgrade cancelled

On 15 April 2023 the Government announced that plans for new smart motorways would be cancelled in recognition of the lack of public confidence felt by drivers and cost pressures. This follows an announcement in January 2022 to pause the rollout of new all lane running smart motorways yet to start construction.

The M62 junctions 20-25 upgrade is one of the schemes being cancelled.

The Government and National Highways continue to invest £900 million in further safety improvements on existing smart motorways, and to give motorists clear advice when using existing smart motorways.

For more information please visit: nationalhighways.co.uk/our-work/smart-motorways-evidence-stocktake

Latest updates

30 May 2023

Scheme cancelled

On 15 April 2023, the Government announced that plans for new smart motorways, including those for the M62 between junctions 20 and 25, would be cancelled in recognition of the lack of public confidence felt by drivers and cost pressures.

National Highways had intended to carry out a central reservation barrier upgrade on this section of the M62 , which remains a conventional motorway with a hard shoulder. The work has now been cancelled following a further appraisal.

Safety is our top priority and we will consider future options for this stretch of motorway in due course.
30 April 2021

Ground Investigation Work

From Tuesday 4 May 2021, we’ll be carrying out ground investigation work to continue to gather information we require for our final detailed design.

To complete the work safely we’ll need to close sections of the hard shoulder. We’ll also close slip roads and use lane closures overnight between 9pm and 6am, Monday to Friday, when traffic flows are lower.

When we are closing slip roads we will publicise this via Traffic England and a signed diversion route will be in place. We will also put signs on each slip road giving at least 14 days notice of the closure. In most cases the diversion route will continue along the motorway to the next junction to turn around, avoiding the use of other local roads. We will always keep three lanes open in each direction during the day.

It is possible that this work will create some noise disruption for local residents, but we will take steps to minimise any overnight disturbance as far as possible.

We expect to complete this work by autumn 2021
25 August 2020

Survey works

From Tuesday 1 September 2020, we’ll be carrying survey works on existing drainage, electrical assets and gathering other information required to enable our final detailed design.

To complete the survey work safely we’ll need to close sections of the hard shoulder. When traffic flows are lower between 9pm and 6am, Monday to Friday, we’ll also close slip roads and use lane closures.

When we are closing slip roads we will publicise this via Traffic England and a signed diversion route will be in place. We will also put signs on each slip road giving at least 14 days notice of the closure. In most cases the diversion route will continue along the motorway to the next junction to turn around, avoiding the use of other local roads. We will always keep three lanes open in each direction during the day.

It is possible that this work will create some noise disruption for local residents, but we will take steps to minimise any overnight disturbance as far as possible.

We expect to complete this work by Spring 2021.
15 June 2020

Eastbound carriageway work

From Monday 15 June we will be carrying out work on the eastbound carriageway between junctions 20 and 22 of the M62 to strengthen the hard shoulder in areas so it can be used as a temporary lane during the construction of the smart motorway project next year.

We expect this work to take approximately two weeks to complete, and we’ll need to use lane or full carriageway closures most nights between 10pm and 6am. A signed diversion route will be in place when the eastbound carriageway is closed.

To complete this work safely, we will introduce temporary narrow lanes and a reduced speed limit of 50mph on the eastbound carriageway. The majority of this work will be carried out overnight when traffic levels are much lower and we’ll keep three lanes open in each direction during the day.

It is possible that this work will create some noise disruption for local residents, but we will take steps to minimise any overnight disturbance as far as possible.

We expect to complete this work by July, ahead of the main construction work starting on this project next year.

See more updates

Project information

The M62 is the only east-west motorway spanning the north of England. Running between Merseyside and Yorkshire through Cheshire and Greater Manchester, it serves as both a regional route for longer distance trips and as an important inter-urban route between the Manchester and Leeds city regions.

The M62 from junction 20 to 25 had been earmarked for upgrading to an all lane running motorway, converting the hard shoulder into a permanent traffic lane.

On 15 April 2023, the Government announced that plans for new smart motorways, including those for the M62 between junctions 20 and 25, would be cancelled in recognition of the lack of public confidence felt by drivers and cost pressures.

National Highways had intended to carry out a central reservation barrier upgrade on this section of the M62, which remains a conventional motorway with a hard shoulder. This work has now been cancelled following a further appraisal.

Safety is our top priority and we will consider future options for this stretch of motorway in due course.