THE planned closure of the M60 on Saturday night, April 18, for works associated with the Manchester Smart Motorways project has been postponed.

Highways England announced earlier this week that sections of the M60 will be closed overnight for six nights during April as work takes place to demolish overhead gantries as part of its smart motorway project between junction 8 of the M60 near Sale and junction 20 of the M62 near Rochdale.

A total of 16 overhead gantries need to be demolished as they are not suitable for the electronic signs that are being installed for the scheme. The closures will take place between 10pm and 6am each night.

The proposed overnight closure of the anticlockwise side of the M60 on Saturday April 18 – due to have been between junction 12 at the M62/M602 interchange and junction 11 at Eccles – has now been postponed with no alternative date agreed yet.

The associated closures of the eastbound link road from the M62 onto both sides of the M60 along with the westbound link road from the M602 onto the anticlockwise side of the M60 have also been postponed.

The rest of the programme as announced earlier this week will be going ahead as scheduled: The anticlockwise side of the M60 will be closed overnight on Monday April 20 from junction 16 at Swinton to junction 15 at the interchange with the M61.

The clockwise side of the M60 will also be closed overnight on Tuesday 21 April between junction 13 at Worsley and junction 15 at the M61 interchange, along with the eastbound link road from the M62 onto the clockwise side of the M60 at junction 12.

On Wednesday April 22, the clockwise side of the M60 will be closed overnight between junction 10 at Trafford Park and junction 12 at the interchange with the M62 and M602. This will be followed by the closure of the link roads from the eastbound M62 onto both sides of the M60 on Thursday April 23.

The final closures during the month will take place on Saturday 25 April. The clockwise side of the M60 will be closed overnight between junction 12 at the M62/M602 interchange and junction 13 at Worsley.

The eastbound link roads from the M62 onto both sides of the M60 will also be closed at junction 12, along with the westbound link road from the M602 onto the clockwise side of the M60.

A further series of overnight closures will be required in May and June to complete the gantry demolitions.

The dates will be announced nearer the time. To stay up to date with the latest developments, visit www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/m60-junction-8-to-m62-junction-20.