Tragic accidents and alarming driver behaviour have again highlighted dangers on the roads in recent weeks.
The M56 is no exception and regular crashes cause serious injury and major disruption.
Figures show an accident is happening on one of the motorway’s notorious stretches almost once a week.
There were a total of 37 crashes between junctions 12 and 15 last year, eight of them described as ‘serious’.
Data site crashmap.co.uk has been updated with the number of incidents on the roads in 2015.
The Chronicle highlighted how shocking it is to see how many collisions there are when it is displayed this way last month.
It is getting worse too. From 2010-2013 there were eight serious crashes between J12 and J15. In both 2014 and 2015 this total has been matched in just 12 months.
So far this year the crashes are still happening and we have seen the air ambulance called out on multiple occasions.
A woman was even filmed reading a book at the wheel and had the audacity to put the middle finger up at the passerby.
A smart motorway system cannot come soon enough say MPs, but it will not be happening before 2020.
This is because the M56 has not been included in the latest Government Roads Investment Strategy, and cannot be until the next ‘period’ starts in four years’ time.
As for what causes the problems, Cheshire Constabulary’s position is there is no contributing factor which ‘runs through all the incidents’.
Cheshire West MPs Graham Evans, Chris Matheson and Justin Madders have all thrown their weight behind the mission to improve its safety.
Mr Evans previously said: “I have serious concerns about the stretch of motorway from junctions 12 to 14 of the M56.
“Accidents are happening too often on this road and there is very little technology alerting drivers to potential hazards ahead.
“What I am looking for is major investment across the particular area for a long-term solution.”
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