The M60, M62 & M66 Motorways - Temporary Restriction And Prohibition Of Traffic

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 15
THE M60, M62 & M66 MOTORWAYS (JUNCTIONS 17-19 SIMISTER ISLAND CARRIAGEWAYS & SLIP & LINK ROADS)
(TEMPORARY RESTRICTION AND PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC) ORDER 2026

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that National Highways Limited (Company No. 09346363) intends to make an Order on the M60, M62 and M66 Motorways, in the Cities of Manchester and Salford, and the Boroughs of Bury and Rochdale in the County of Greater Manchester, to enable the Simister Island Major Project works, and other general maintenance works; to be carried out in safety.

The Order will:
(a) impose a 40, 50 or 60 mph speed limit on the following sections of the M60, M62 and M66 Motorways:
i. the M60 clockwise carriageway, from the Manchester Road Bridge at J16, to the Alkrington Interchange Bridge at J20;
ii. the M60 anticlockwise carriageway, from the Alkrington Interchange Bridge at J20, to the Manchester Road Bridge at J16;
iii. the M62 eastbound carriageway, from a point 450 metres west of the Simister Island Bridge at J18, to the West Heywood Interchange Bridge at J19;
iv. the M62 westbound carriageway, from the West Heywood Interchange Bridge at J19, to a point 450 metres west of the Simister Island Bridge at J18;
v. the M66 northbound carriageway, from a point 120 metres south of the Simister Lane Bridge, to the Heap Bridge Interchange at J2;
vi. the M66 southbound carriageway, from the Heap Bridge Interchange at J2, to a point 120 metres south of the Simister Lane Bridge;
vii. the M60 clockwise exit and entry slip roads at J17;
viii. the M60 anticlockwise exit and entry slip roads at J17;
ix. the M60 anticlockwise free flow link road at J18;
x. the M60 clockwise to M66 northbound free flow link road at J18;
xi. the M66 southbound to M62 eastbound free flow link road at J18;
xii. the M62 westbound to M60 clockwise free flow link road at J18;
xiii. the M62 westbound exit slip road at J18;
xiv. the M62 eastbound entry slip road at J18;
xv. the M66 southbound exit slip road at J4;
xvi. the M66 northbound entry slip road at J4;
xvii. the M60 clockwise exit and entry slip roads at J18;
xviii. the M60 anticlockwise exit and entry slip roads at J18;
xix. the M60 anticlockwise entry slip road a J19;
xx. the M60 clockwise exit slip road at J19;
xxi. the M60 anticlockwise free flow link road at J19;
xxii. the M66 northbound and southbound exit and entry slip roads at J3;
xxiii. the M60 clockwise to M66 northbound free flow link road;
xxiv. the M66 southbound to M62 eastbound free flow link road;
xxv. the M62 westbound to M60 clockwise free flow link road;
xxvi. the M60 anticlockwise to the M60 anticlockwise free flow link road.

(b) ban all traffic from the following sections of the M60, M62 and M66 Motorways:
i. the M60 anticlockwise carriageway, from the last point where the anticlockwise J18 exit slip road leaves the carriageway, to the first point where the M66 northbound J4 entry slip road joins the carriageway;
ii. the M66 southbound carriageway, from the last point where the southbound J4 exit slip road leaves the carriageway, to the first point where the M60 clockwise J18 entry slip road joins the carriageway;
iii. the M60 clockwise carriageway, from the last point where the clockwise J18 exit slip road leaves the carriageway, to the first point where the M62 eastbound J18 entry slip road joins the carriageway;
iv. the M62 westbound carriageway, from the last point where the westbound J18 exit slip road leaves the carriageway, to the first point where the M60 anticlockwise J18 entry slip road joins the carriageway;
v. the M60 clockwise carriageway, from the last point where the clockwise J17 exit slip road leaves the carriageway, to the first point where the clockwise J17 entry slip road joins the carriageway;
vi. the M60 anticlockwise carriageway, from the last point where the anticlockwise J17 exit slip road leaves the carriageway, to the first point where the anticlockwise J17 entry slip road joins the carriageway;
vii. the M66 northbound carriageway, from the last point where the northbound J3 exit slip road leaves the carriageway, to the first point where the northbound J3 entry slip road joins the carriageway;
viii. the M66 southbound carriageway, from the last point where the southbound J3 exit slip road leaves the carriageway, to the first point where the southbound J3 entry slip road joins the carriageway;
ix. the M60 anticlockwise carriageway, from the last point where the M62 westbound J18 exit slip road leaves the carriageway, to the first point where the anticlockwise J17 entry slip road joins the carriageway;
x. the M60 clockwise carriageway, from the last point where the clockwise J17 exit slip road leaves the carriageway, to the first point where the M62 eastbound J18 entry slip road joins the carriageway;
xi. the M60 clockwise carriageway, from the last point where the M66 southbound J4 exit slip road leaves the carriageway, to the first point where the clockwise J19 entry slip road joins the carriageway;
xii. the M60 anticlockwise carriageway, from the last point where the anticlockwise J19 exit slip road leaves the carriageway, to the first point where the M66 northbound J4 entry slip road joins the carriageway;
xiii. the M66 southbound carriageway, from the last point where the southbound J3 exit slip road leaves the carriageway, to the first point where the M60 clockwise J18 entry slip road joins the carriageway;
xiv. the M66 northbound carriageway, from the last point where the M60 anticlockwise J18 exit slip road leaves the carriageway, to the first point where the M66 northbound J3 entry slip road joins the carriageway;
xv. the M60 clockwise carriageway, from the last point where the clockwise J19 exit slip road leaves the carriageway, to the first point where the clockwise J19 entry slip road joins the carriageway;
xvi. the M60 anticlockwise carriageway, from the last point where the anticlockwise J19 exit slip road leaves the carriageway, to the first point where the anticlockwise J19 entry slip road joins the carriageway;
xvii. the M60 clockwise exit and entry slip roads at J17;
xviii. the M60 anticlockwise exit and entry slip roads at J17;
xix. the M60 anticlockwise free flow link road at J18;
xx. the M60 clockwise to M66 northbound free flow link road at J18;
xxi. the M66 southbound to M62 eastbound free flow link road at J18;
xxii. the M62 westbound to M60 clockwise free flow link road at J18;
xxiii. the M62 westbound exit slip road at J18;
xxiv. the M62 eastbound entry slip road at J18;
xxv. the M66 southbound exit slip road at J4;
xxvi. the M66 northbound entry slip road at J4;
xxvii. the M60 clockwise exit and entry slip roads at J18;
xxviii. the M60 anticlockwise exit and entry slip roads at J18;
xxix. the M60 anticlockwise entry slip road at J19;
xxx. the M60 clockwise exit slip road at J19;
xxxi. the M60 anticlockwise free flow link road at J19;
xxxii. the M66 northbound and southbound exit and entry slip roads at J3;
xxxiii. the M60/M62 J18 Roundabout, from the first point where the M60 clockwise entry slip road at J18 leaves the roundabout, to the last point where the M60 clockwise exit slip road joins the roundabout (southwestern section);
xxxiv. the M60/M62 J18 Roundabout, from the first point where the M60 anticlockwise entry slip road at J18 leaves the roundabout, to the last point where the M66 southbound exit slip road at J4 joins the roundabout (northwestern section);
xxxv. the M60/M62 J18 Roundabout, from the first point where the M66 northbound entry slip road at J4 leaves the roundabout, to the last point where the M62 westbound exit slip road at J18 joins the roundabout (northeastern section);
xxxvi. the M60/M62 J18 Roundabout, from the first point where the M60 eastbound entry slip road at J18 leaves the roundabout, to the last point where the M60 anticlockwise exit slip road at J18 joins the roundabout (southeastern section).

(c) allow the hard shoulders adjacent to the following sections of the M60, M62 and M66 Motorways to be used as running lanes. A 40, 50 or 60 mph speed limit will be in force on the hard shoulders when used as running lanes, as indicated by traffic signs:
i. the M60 clockwise carriageway, from the Manchester Road Bridge at J16, to the Alkrington Interchange Bridge at J20;
ii. the M60 anticlockwise carriageway, from the Alkrington Interchange Bridge at J20, to the Manchester Road Bridge at J16;
iii. the M62 eastbound carriageway, from a point 450 metres west of the Simister Island Bridge at J18, to the Heywood Interchange Bridge at J19;
iv. the M62 westbound carriageway, from the Heywood Interchange Bridge at J19, to a point 450 metres west of the Simister Island Bridge at J18;
v. the M66 southbound carriageway, from the Heap Bridge Interchange at J2, to a point 120 metres south of the Simister Lane Bridge;
vi. the M66 northbound carriageway, from a point 120 metres south of the Simister Lane Bridge, to the Heap Bridge Interchange at J2.

(d) ban all traffic from the following sections of the of the M66 Motorway:
i. the southbound carriageway, from the Pilsworth Road Interchange at J3, to a point 300 metres south of the Simister Lane Bridge. During the closure of the section of this southbound carriageway, the southbound traffic will be directed to cross over onto the northbound carriageway in a southernly direction in lane 2 where a contraflow system will be in place;
ii. the northbound carriageway, from a point 300 metres south of the Simister Lane Bridge, to the Pilsworth Road Interchange at J3. During the closure of the section of this northbound carriageway, the northbound traffic will be directed to cross over onto the southbound carriageway in a northernly direction in lane 2 where a contraflow system will be in place.

(e) impose a width restriction on the following sections of the M60, M62 and M66 Motorways:
i. the M60 clockwise carriageway, from the Philips Park Road West Bridge to the Whittle Lane Bridge, in lane 1 = 3.25 metres (10 feet 7 inches) or 3.00 metres (9 feet 8 inches) and in lanes 2, 3 and 4 = 2.75 metres (9 feet 0 inches) or 2.50 metres (8 feet 2 inches);
ii. the M62 westbound to M60 anticlockwise carriageway, from the Whittle Lane Bridge to the Philips Park Road West Bridge, in lane 1 = 3.25 metres (10 feet 7 inches) or 3.00 metres (9 feet 8 inches) and in lanes 2, 3 and 4 = 2.75 metres (9 feet 0 inches) or 2.50 metres (8 feet 2 inches);
iii. the M60 clockwise carriageway, from the Simister Island North Bridge to the Higher Blackly Bridge, in lane 1 = 3.25 metres (10 feet 7 inches) or 3.00 metres (9 feet 8 inches) and in lanes 2, 3 and 4 = 2.75 metres (9 feet 0 inches) or 2.50 metres (8 feet 2 inches);
iv. the M60 anticlockwise carriageway, from the Higher Blackly Bridge to the Simister Island North Bridge, in lane 1 = 3.25 metres (10 feet 7 inches) or 3.00 metres (9 feet 8 inches) and in lanes 2, 3 and 4 = 2.75 metres (9 feet 0 inches) or 2.50 metres (8 feet 2 inches);
v. the M66 southbound carriageway, from the Pilsworth Bridge to the Simister Island North Bridge, in lane 1 = 3.25 metres (10 feet 7 inches) or 3.00 metres (9 feet 8 inches) and in lanes 2, 3 and 4 = 2.75 metres (9 feet 0 inches) or 2.50 metres (8 feet 2 inches);
vi. the M66 northbound carriageway, from the Simister Island North Bridge to the Pilsworth Bridge, in lane 1 = 3.25 metres (10 feet 7 inches) or 3.00 metres (9 feet 8 inches) and in lanes 2, 3 and 4 2.75 metres (9 feet 0 inches) or 2.50 metres (8 feet 2 inches).

Restrictions a), c) and e) and Prohibitions b) and d) are expected to be in place during a continuous period, subject to traffic signs, starting at 21:00 on Monday 2 March 2026 and ending at 06:00 on Friday 14 December 2029.

Restrictions a), c) and e) and Prohibitions b) and d) are expected to be in place overnight, subject to traffic signs, between 21:00 and 06:00 (07:00 on Saturday and Sunday mornings) during a period starting on Monday 2 March 2026 and ending on Friday 14 December 2029.

The restrictions will not apply to emergency services or special-forces vehicles, and the prohibitions will not apply to emergency services, works, or traffic officer vehicles.

The restrictions and prohibitions will only apply during such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by traffic signs. The Order comes into force on 1 March 2026 and is valid until 14 December 2029. National Highways is satisfied that the execution of the works will take longer than a period of 18 months.

Diversion routes via alternative junctions of the M60, M62 and M66 Motorways, and local roads will be well signed.

General enquiries in relation to this notice or for more detailed information about alternative routes during the closures of the carriageways, slip or link roads, may be made in writing to the Project Manager Nicola Eastwell at the National Highways, Major Projects North, Piccadilly Gate, Store Street, Manchester M1 2WD, by emailing M60J18SimisterIslandInterchange@highwaysengland.co.uk;

Nicola Eastwell (Project Manager), an official of National Highways Limited, Piccadilly Gate, Store Street, Manchester M1 2WD.

National Highways Limited, Bridge House, Three Snowhill, Snow Hill Queensway, Birmingham, B4 6GA. Registered in England & Wales number 09346363