Closures due as motorway work begins

Broughton interchange: Drivers heading for Blackpool face night-time closures

As part of the £7m improvements scheme at Broughton Interchange, the link road between the M6 northbound and the M55 heading towards Blackpool, will face occasional overnight closures between now and October when the work is expected to be completed.

This means drivers coming into the town at night, from where Junction 32 of the M6 links up with the M55, will be diverted onto A roads.

The overnight closures will take place between 9pm (or 10pm on Fridays) and 6am the following morning – with diversions in place via the A59, A5085 and A6.

The work at Broughton Interchange involves widening the northbound M6 carriageway right through the junction.

The M6 improvements began earlier this month and should be completed in November.

Highways bosses said short lengths of the hard shoulder will be used to add an extra lane on the approach to and through the interchange in a bid to try and reduce congestion.

County Coun John Fillis, cabinet member for highways and transport, urged motorists to be patient through the summer time disruption.

He said: “Like all developments – and this one is quite a major one because it affects a lot of traffic – it will have a disruptive short-term effect.

“But, as we’ve seen from drivers, we are making improvements and we get a positive response as long as people keep moving.”

In addition to the closures, speed restrictions of 50mph are in place along sections of the M6 and M55 throughout the work.

At times, the hard shoulder will be used as a running lane to maintain capacity and a free breakdown service will be in operation during the works.

M6/M55 closures in full

The overnight closures will take place between 9pm (or 10pm on Fridays) and 6am the following morning – with clearly-signed diversions in place via the A59, A5085 and A6 – at:

The sections closed will be:

The M6 northbound carriageway between Junction 31 and Junction 32.

The M6 northbound carriageway through Junction 32.

The M6 Junction 31 northbound entry slip road.

The M6 Junction 31A northbound exit slip road.

The M6 northbound to M55 westbound link road.