Smart motorway: National Highways' overnight Wigan to Warrington works

The company is busy adding extra emergency areas, new technology and a lane in each direction to the motorway between junctions 21a and junction 26.

It is also resurfacing all four lanes of the upgraded carriageway across long sections of the route between Croft and Orrell interchanges before the work is completed next spring.

Due to the size of the equipment required for the resurfacing there will be a series of overnight carriageway closures over the next few weeks with the resurfacing work resuming after the Easter break.

The overnight - 9pm to 6am - closures planned over the next few weeks are as follows:

Northbound junction 21a to junction 22 – Friday (April 19) and Monday and Tuesday April 22 and 23 as well as Wednesday, Thursday and Friday May 1, 2 and 3;

Northbound junction 22 to junction 23 - Wednesday and Thursday (April 17 and 18);

Northbound junction 23 to junction 26 – Tonight and tomorrow (Monday and Tuesday April 15 and 16);

Southbound junction 22 to junction 21a – Wednesday and Thursday (April 17 and 18), Friday April 26 and Monday April 29;

Southbound junction 23 to junction 22 – Friday (April 19), Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday April 22, 23, 24 and 25 and Tuesday April 30.

Southbound junction 26 to 23 - Thursday April 25 and Friday May 3.

There will be further overnight closures in May and June with further information released nearer the time.

The resurfacing is being aligned with other work taking place as part of the long-running Smart motorway scheme, meaning fewer road closures and less disruption for drivers and residents and no requirement for additional overnight closures for resurfacing after the upgraded motorway has opened.

The precise dates and times of the work may be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. Clearly-signed diversions will be in place overnight when a carriageway is closed.

More information, including diversion maps, is available on the M6 upgrade project webpage.