M62 upgrade: Motorway safety improvements in West Yorkshire progress to next stage

From this week, commencing Monday, December 12, National Highways is installing a new emergency area on the eastbound carriageway between junctions 26, Chain Bar and 27 at Gildersome, providing an extra place for drivers to stop in an emergency. This work is due to be completed by early summer 2023.

On the westbound carriageway, between junctions 26 and 28 (Tingley), National Highways is also carrying out drainage upgrades on the verges. This section of work is expected to be completed by the end of January 2023.

To enable engineers to carry out this work safely, temporary speed limits are being put in place on the motorway between junctions 26 and 28. A 50mph limit will be in place while the emergency area is being installed on the eastbound carriageway, with narrower lanes in place in that section. A 60mph limit will be in place on the westbound carriageway where the drainage improvements are taking place.

This is the latest step in the series of upgrades taking place on the motorways, including the M62, across West Yorkshire in 2022.  This segment of work is expected to finish in September 2023.

National Highways Regional Sponsor, Paul Unwin, said: “These improvements will make journeys on this section of the M62 even safer once they are complete. Once again, we would like to thank drivers for their patience while we’ve been carrying out these important upgrades.

“While we are pleased that work continues to progress, we are mindful of the unavoidable disruption caused by this work. We apologise for the delays and will continue to do all we can to keep disruption to a minimum.

“In the meantime, we strongly advise drivers to plan their journeys to avoid these times, or allow more time to reach their destination if possible.”  

Preparations have also begun for work to replace more than three miles of steel central barrier with concrete. This work will take place on the M62 between junctions 28 and 29, with lighting also upgraded to LED.

Once work on the M62 barrier has begun, the scheme will move on to include work on the barrier of the M1 between junctions 42 (Lofthouse) and 43 (Belle Isle) and at junction 7 of the M621 (Stourton), at a date to be confirmed. 

The entire scheme is expected to be completed in October 2023.