A MULTI-MILLION pound scheme to tackle congestion at the M6 junction with the A580 East Lancs Road is on schedule to be completed by Easter, says the Highways Agency.

The work, which involves adding four extra lanes to a section of the A580 that takes traffic through the centre of the roundabout at junction 23, at Haydock, began last month.

The junction is well known as an accident blackspot and for traffic becoming gridlocked.

The £4.1million project will allow vehicles to turn right on to the M6 and A49 Lodge Lane without having to travel around the roundabout.

A dedicated left-turn lane will also be created for the A49 from the roundabout and the exit slip road from the northbound M6 will be extended. The entire junction will be resurfaced with an antiskid coating and a new traffic light system is to be installed.

Andrew Kimmance, project manager at the Highways Agency, said: “This is a major project that will benefit the thousands of people who use junction 23 everyday to travel between the M6, A580 and A49.

“The extra lanes, better slip roads and new traffic lights will make it much easier and quicker for people to travel through the junction, benefitting both the local and regional economy as well as improving safety.

“There will obviously be some disruption while this work takes place but we’re on schedule to have the project completed by Easter. The end result will definitely be worth the wait.”

Some overnight closures of the junction will be required while work is carried out and a temporary 50mph speed limit is currently in place on slip roads.

The project is part of the Government’s £317 million pinch point programme to help stimulate new development and local economic growth by improving road safety and tackling congestion bottlenecks.

More details on the scheme are available at www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/m6-junction-23-roundabout-improvement