Press release

35 tonne overhead gantry to be demolished on M60

A 35-tonne overhead gantry on the M60 – equivalent to the weight of 23 family cars – will be demolished this weekend as part of the Greater Manchester smart motorway project.

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Highways England needs to close the anticlockwise side of the M60 overnight between junction 12, at the M62 and M602 interchange, and junction 10, at Trafford Park, to carry out the work.

The demolition of the 18-metre-wide structure is part of a £202 million project between junction 8 of the M60 near Sale and junction 20 of the M62 near Rochdale which will see the latest technology being used to monitor traffic levels and keep vehicles moving by using variable speed limits.

A two-mile stretch of motorway near Eccles will be closed from 10pm on Saturday 27 June until 8am on Sunday 28 June so that the gantry can be demolished, as it is not suitable for the electronic signs that are being installed for the scheme. Drivers will be able to follow a clearly-signed diversion.

Paul Hampson, Project Manager at Highways England, said:

We’ll be using a 200 tonne crane to carry out the demolition and will need to close a section of the motorway while this work takes place.

The closure will only affect a two-mile stretch on the anticlockwise side of the M60 near Eccles and we’ll have diversion in place.

We’re also carrying out the work overnight on Saturday at a time when there are far fewer people on the roads.

Work to demolish 16 overhead gantries began in April and will continue into the summer. All of the closures will take place overnight at weekends at a time when the motorway is at its quietest.

When the smart motorway scheme is completed in autumn 2017, around 200 new electronic message signs will warn drivers of changes in the mandatory speed limit, lane closures and incidents ahead.

The hard shoulder will also be permanently converted into an extra lane to increase capacity between junctions 18 and 20 on the M62.

To stay up to date with the latest developments visit the road project pages.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

Published 25 June 2015