Beware of these M56 and M6 weekend closures if you are flying from Manchester Airport soon.
Three major junctions will be shut from February 17 to February 20 as well as two weekends in March.
It is all part of the upgrade to convert the A556 link road between the two motorways into a dual carriageway.
Junctions 7 and 8 on the M56 are due to be closed for 56 hours from 9pm on Friday to 5am on Monday.
On the M6 J9 at Knutsford is affected for the same amount of time.
The first of the three closures will allow preparations for the old road to be sealed off to through traffic and for the motorway junctions to be tied into the new dual carriageway.
Highways England project manager Paul Hampson said: “We’re delighted to be able to confirm we can start work next week on preparations to open the new road with the first of these three scheduled weekend closures.
“We appreciate there will be some inconvenience for people wanting to use the A556 and the two motorway junctions over these weekends.”
The further two closures run from March 3-6 and March 10-13, when the new road will fully open to drivers.
Advised diversion routes are:
• Drivers on the northbound M6 heading for Manchester and Manchester Airport will need to stay on the M6, join the westbound M56 at Lymm Interchange (M6 junction 20) and then join the eastbound M56 at junction 10 (Preston Brook)
• Drivers on the westbound M56 heading away from Manchester and wanting to join the southbound M6 will also need to travel to junction 10 at Preston Brook – joining the eastbound M56 from there to travel back to Lymm Interchange and access the southbound M6
Anyone from Chester heading to the airport can take the M56 through as normal. Local diversions will be ‘strictly monitored’.
Mr Hampson said: “We have worked hard to plan diversions for through traffic and local road users, which will be clearly signed.
“We’re working to publicise these but road users can help by taking a little bit of extra care in planning journeys, especially if they are heading to Manchester Airport on any of the three weekends.”
Drivers are advised to build in some extra time for the diversions and to check traffic conditions before setting out on journeys.
Highways England provides live traffic information via its website, local and national radio travel bulletins, electronic road signs and mobile apps.
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