Drivers face continued disruption at Tarbock Island this winter as roadworks that began in May 2024 extend into January 2027. The junction improvement project aims to improve traffic flow on one of the region's busiest transport routes, which connects Knowsley to Liverpool city centre and serves as a main access point to the M62.
Knowsley Council has advised drivers to plan ahead, allow extra time for travel, or choose alternative routes where possible.
Ongoing Closures and Diversions
The east side of Tarbock Island roundabout will be closed overnight from October 21 to November 13, between 8pm and 5am, for final finishing works and carriageway resurfacing. The M57 southbound exit slip road, coming onto Tarbock Island from the direction of Prescot and Kirkby, will be closed until January 2027 to manage congestion while works are carried out on the west side of the roundabout. The diversion involves continuing along the M57 to the Knowsley Expressway (A5300) and coming back via Tarbock Island.
The M62 Junction 6 eastbound exit slip road, coming onto Tarbock Island from the direction of Liverpool, will also be closed until January 2027. Diverted traffic will be directed to the M62 Junction 7 and return to Tarbock Island via the M62 Junction 7 westbound entry slip road and the M62 westbound carriageway.
Lane Restrictions and Night Openings
All lanes of the roundabout will be closed from Cronton Road's eastbound approach to Tarbock Island, on the Aldi side of the junction, to just before the Knowsley Expressway (A5300) northbound exit slip road. However, the A5300 northbound exit slip road will remain open. The M62 Junction 6 eastbound exit slip road, currently closed 24/7, will be opened at night to assist traffic travelling along Cronton Road, westbound towards Huyton only. During the roadworks, the east side of the roundabout will be reduced to a single lane during the daytime.
Public Frustration and Council Response
People have continued to express their frustration on social media amid the prolonged roadworks. A local business owner named Mark shared how the works have impacted his business, saying: "This work on Tarbock Island has cost my company over £200k in list revenue as customers are giving up trying to get to me." Another person on Facebook said: "Aldi car park was horrific two Sundays ago. In the end I mounted the kerb and went out via the goods entrance. That roundabout has been disrupting local residents for years with constant closed junctions. Seems like it's never bloody ending."
A Knowsley Council spokesperson said: "Tarbock Island is one of the busiest transport interchanges in the Liverpool city region. It was desperately in need of upgrading and Knowsley Council began those works in March 2024. Given the scale of the work involved it has been necessary to deliver the project in small sections, or phases in order to maintain traffic flow on Tarbock Island and the surrounding area. Due to this phased approach, it is incredibly difficult to estimate a final completion date at the start of a project, instead, each phase of the works has its own estimated time scale and completion date, and we have communicated updates about anticipated completion dates as the project has progressed. We expect that Tarbock Island will be fully re-opened by mid-January and if it is possible to open the roundabout sooner, we will of course do so. We want to thank motorists and residents for their ongoing patience. The completed scheme will create additional capacity at Tarbock Island and reduce journey times by widening the roundabout and increasing the number of lanes on the approaches to the roundabout. The programme of works also supports the wider developments in the area which in turn are bringing around 2,000 jobs to the borough."
