M60 motorway

Infobox road
marker_

highway_name=M60 motorway
route=Stockport to Stockport


map_custom=yes
country_meta=GB
maint=Highways Agency
length_mi=35
length_round=0
length_notes=7 miles are part of the M62 motorway
length_ref=
established=1960-2000 "(opened in sections as M62, M63 and M66, renumbered M60 in 2000)"
direction_a=Circular; Clockwise
terminus_a=Stockport
junction=4 -
European route number small sign|20European route number small sign|22
direction_b=East
terminus_b=Stockport
counties=Greater Manchester
cities=Manchester
Trafford
Salford
Bury
Rochdale
Oldham
Tameside
commons=gallery
otherwiki=

The M60 motorway is an orbital motorway circling Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It passes through all Greater Manchester's metropolitan boroughs except for Wigan and Bolton. Most of the City of Manchester is encompassed within the motorway, except for the southern-most part of the city (primarily the Wythenshawe area and the Airport). The road forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22, and is a proposed boundary road for the Manchester Congestion Charge.

History

The M60 was developed by connecting and consolidating the existing motorway sections of the M63, M62, and an extended M66. It came into existence as the M60 in 2000, with the completion of the eastern side (Junctions 19-24) opening in October of that year.

The original plan called for a completely new motorway, but policy change led to the plan which created the current motorway. As soon as it opened, the motorway got close to its projected maximum volume on significant sections.As an orbital motorway, it is equivalent to London's M25 motorway, however, unlike the M25, the M60 is a complete circle. In 2004, a section of the northern M60 was the UK's busiest stretch of road, with an average of 181,000 vehicles per day using the stretch between junctions 16 and 17, although usually, the western side of the M25 motorway holds that honour. The M25's figures were lower than normal due to roadworks starting. [http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_transstats/documents/downloadable/dft_transstats_038887.pdf]

Widening between junctions 5 and 8

Between junctions 5 and 8 (formerly M63 between junctions 6 to 9), the motorway has recently been widened in a major engineering project spanning several years. [cite web|url=https://www.dft.gov.uk/press/speechesstatements/speeches/m60widening|title=Speech by Minister of State for Transport, Dr Stephen Ladyman, delivered at the opening ceremony of the widened M60 junction 5-8|publisher=Department For Transport|date=2006-06-26|accessdate=2008-01-28] Between junctions 5 and 6, the motorway has been widened from three to four lanes in each direction. Between junctions 6 and 8, the motorway had been widened from two to three lanes in each direction, plus an additional two-lane collector/distributor road on either side of the main carriageways. Access for junctions 6 to 8 is only from the collector/distributor road. Some of the junctions have been extensively remodelled. As part of the project, the A6144(M) motorway, which connected to the M60 at junction 8, was downgraded and lost its motorway status.

Current developments

Proposed developments

There is talk of some sections becoming toll sections, and there is still talk of building a new orbital motorway as proposed by the original planFact|date=February 2007.

Legislation

Each motorway in England requires that a Statutory Instrument be published, detailing the route of the road, before it can be built. The dates given on these Statutory Instruments relate to when the document was published, and not when the road was built. Provided below is an incomplete list of the Statutory Instruments relating to the route of the M60.
* Statutory Instrument 1988 No. 1708: M66 Motorway (Manchester Ring Road, Denton to Middleton Section) and Connecting Roads Scheme 1988 [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1988/Uksi_19881708_en_1.htm S.I. 1988/1708]
* Statutory Instrument 1988 No. 1728: M66 Motorway (Middleton to the Lancashire/Yorkshire Motorway (M62) Section) and Connecting Roads Scheme 1988 [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1988/Uksi_19881728_en_1.htm S.I. 1988/1728]
* Statutory Instrument 1993 No. 363: M66 Motorway (Manchester Outer Ring Road, Denton to Middleton Section) A663 Broadway All-Purpose Connecting Road Order 1993 [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1993/Uksi_19930363_en_1.htm S.I. 1993/363]
* Statutory Instrument 1993 No. 364: M66 Motorway (Manchester Outer Ring Road, Denton to Middleton Section) and Connecting Roads Scheme 1988 Amendment Scheme 1993 [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1993/Uksi_19930364_en_1.htm S.I. 1993/364]
* Statutory Instrument 1999 No. 2724: The M60 Motorway (Improvement Between Junctions 5 and 8) Connecting Roads Scheme 1999 [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1999/19992724.htm S.I. 1999/2724]
* Statutory Instrument 2002 No. 2403: The M60 Motorway (Junction 25) (Speed Limit) Regulations 2002 [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2002/20022403.htm S.I. 2002/2403]

Junctions

ee also

*List of motorways in the United Kingdom.

References

External links

* [http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m60/ CBRD Motorway Database - M60]
* [http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/4826.aspx Highways Agency - M60 Jct 5 to 8 (formerly M63 Jct 6 to 9) widening]