A motorist has described an 11-hour ordeal getting home from Scotland after the Simister Island closure on the M60 added four hours to his journey. Tony Vangrove and his wife were returning to Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, from a fortnight's holiday in Scotland on Sunday (October 11) when they hit traffic chaos.
The couple had driven from Wester Ross in Scotland without any problems, but once they reached the M60, what should have been a final half-hour stretch turned into an extra four hours of frustration.
Detour through unfamiliar roads
Tony, 83, said: "By the time we got to the bottom of the M60 to get into the M62, to the time we actually got into house was four hours. I couldn't believe it."
He found himself coming off the motorway multiple times in search of a quicker route home. "We found ourselves stuck in places that I've never heard of," he said. "There was signs for Bury, Blackburn, Rawtenstall, that sort of area."
"We stopped off at pubs and started talking to people and they didn't really know. In the end, after three hours we thought sod it. Then we picked up a sign for Ashton-under-Lyne which saved our lives. So, we went to Ashton, went on the ring road, then over the hill to Holmfirth. After seven hours of driving, which we do all the time, it was an absolute nightmare!"
Four-hour delays and construction work
Drivers were warned to expect 'four-hour' delays around the M60 junction between Saturday (October 10) and Monday morning (October 12). Full diversions were in place around Simister Island, causing major traffic in nearby areas.
The disruption is caused by construction work set to last until 2030. Four concrete gantries carrying motorway signage, each weighing between 90 and 120 tonnes, are being removed as part of the project. The gantries have reached the end of their operational life.
Impact on local routes
Simister Island, also known as junction 18, connects the M60, M62 and M66 motorways and is one of the North West's busiest motorway junctions. Motorists heading to and from Rochdale, as well as drivers around Heywood, Middleton, Prestwich, Whitefield and Salford, were the most affected.
"Severe congestion and significant delays are expected, with motorists urged to plan ahead, allow extra time for their journeys and, where possible, avoid the area during the closure," said Highways England.
Francis Oliver, National Highways Senior Project Manager, said: "This is a vital scheme for the north west as Simister Island is used by more than 90,000 vehicles every day, and the M62 corridor is a major trade route between the port cities of Liverpool and Hull."
"Improvements include upgrading the M60 to five lanes in both directions and constructing a new loop road so fewer drivers will need to use the island. This will create additional capacity, improve traffic flows and reduce congestion. We appreciate this closure will cause disruption and would like to thank everyone for their continued patience and understanding while we carry out this essential work."
