M56 slip road closure for new A556 link road
Drivers are being reminded that a slip road on the M56 near Bowdon in Cheshire will close for around 4 weeks later this month as part of construction work on a new £192 million link road between the M56 and M6.
Highways England had originally planned to close the entry slip road onto the westbound M56 from the southbound A556 at junction 8 from Monday 14 September but the closure has been put back by a few days due to heavy rain last month.
The slip road will now close overnight, between 9pm and 6am, on Friday 18 September and again, 24 hours a day, for around 4 weeks from 9pm on Monday 21 September.
The A556 will also be closed overnight, in both directions, between Bowdon Roundabout and Bucklow Hill between Friday 18 September and Friday 2 October, with no closures planned on Saturday or Sunday nights.
Cherry Tree Lane will also close at its junction with the southbound A556 for around 6 months from 9pm on Monday 21 September, with a clearly signed diversion in place.
Jonathan Stokes, Project Manager at Highways England, said:
These are scheduled closures for key elements of the improvements we are making to the existing northern section of the A556 to accommodate the new dual carriageway.
Clearly signed diversions will be in place during each of the closures and we would like to thank drivers and local people for their continued patience and support
Construction work on the new link road – which will bypass most of the existing route – began in November and is planned to open early in 2017.
The month long closure of junction 8 is for work to refurbish the Chester Road bridge, which carries the A556 and start of the slip road over the motorway.
Drivers needing to access the westbound M56 can use alternative motorway junctions, such as junction 6 at Hale, or join the westbound M56 from the M6 at Lymm Interchange via the A56 through Lymm, A50 to junction 20 of the M6, and southbound M6 to the interchange.
More information about the project, closures or diversion routes is available at the project page.
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.
Media enquiries
Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.