NORTHWICH motorists using the M56 are being warned that the exit slip road at junction 12 for Runcorn will be closed for up to five weeks next month.

Major work to improve roads leading to the Mersey Gateway bridge has reached a new phase.

The slip road will be closed from Monday, October 12 to allow construction workers to develop part of the new infrastructure.

Halton Council leader Cllr Rob Polhill and chairman of the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board, said: “I know this closure will cause inconvenience for some people.

"But it is important to remember that the end result of the Mersey Gateway project will be much more reliable and will mean faster journeys between the M56 and M62.

“I’d like to thank everyone for continuing to drive safely through the roadworks whilst the works are ongoing.”

The Merseylink consortium and Halton Council have worked closely with Highways England, which is responsible for maintaining and operating England’s motorways, to plan the works, keep potential disruption to a minimum and set up an official diversion route.

Motorists will follow eastbound traffic on to junction 11, before directing drivers back to junction 12, on to the westbound exit slip from the motorway and then in towards Runcorn and Widnes or south towards Frodsham.

Drivers will still be able to get on to the M56 at junction 12 in both directions.

Hugh O’Connor, general manager of Merseylink, said: “This is a temporary but essential closure to allow us to safely link the M56 eastbound slip road at junction 12 to the improved road network we are developing in the area.”