Potholes are the bane of many drivers’ lives.
But now highways engineers are to tackle problem holes - on the busy transPennine M62.
Drivers will benefit from smoother journeys on a 5-mile stretch of the M62 near Rochdale following work to repair potholes.
Bad weather over winter has exacerbated problems with the road surface as many Huddersfield drivers will have realised, and now parts of the motorway are to be closed overnight to allow repairs to be carried out.
Highways England needs to close sections of the motorway overnight between junction 18, where the M62 meets the M60 and M66, and junction 20 at Rochdale to resurface potholes and cracks in the carriageway which have developed during the winter.
WATCH below as THUNDER SNOW hits the M62
Only one side of the motorway will be affected during each night, and there will be no overnight closures at weekends. The first stretch will close tonight.
The closures will take place between 10pm and 5am during the next two weeks.
READ MORE:M62: The commute from hell or a journey to enjoy?
READ MORE: Man airlifted to hospital after M62 smash near Scammonden
Drivers will be able to follow clearly-signed diversion routes when stretches of the motorway are closed.
John Lyssejko, Project Manager at Highways England, said: “We’ll be carrying out the resurfacing work overnight to fix the potholes and cracks that have developed on the M62 during the winter.
“Anyone who has recently driven along the stretch of motorway past Rochdale will have noticed that the road needs to be resurfaced and this work will result in smoother and safer journeys for drivers.
WATCH as selfish driver uses hard shoulder after accident below
“We’ll be closing short stretches of the motorway overnight, Monday to Friday, at times when the motorway is at its quietest. The motorway is also due to be reopened by 5am, well ahead of the morning peak period.”
The closures are due to take place on the following dates, although they may be postponed if heavy rain is forecast:
M62 westbound, junctions 20 to 19: Tuesday 8, Wednesday 9 and Wednesday 16 March
M62 eastbound, junctions 19 to 20: Thursday 10 and Thursday 17 March
M62 eastbound, junctions 18 to 20: Friday 11 March
M62 eastbound, junctions 18 to 19: Monday 14 March
M62 westbound, junctions 19 to 18: Tuesday 15 March
The resurfacing work is taking place on the part of the M62 currently being upgraded to a smart motorway.
The hard shoulder is being permanently converted to an extra lane between junctions 18 and 20, and variable speed limits will also be used to keep traffic moving when the smart motorway goes live in autumn next year.
