Manchester Traffic News

The UK’s third largest city, Manchester is growing year on year. The Industrial Revolution hit Manchester in the 19th century creating more jobs. This meant that the population of Manchester nearly doubled in 20 years and continued to grow year on year.

During this time Manchester became a famous manufacturing centre for wool, silk and cotton. The emblem of the worker bee represented the strong work ethic of the residents and the hive of activity during the industrial revolution at the time. As industries began to grow, transport in the area began to develop, with horse drawn buses ferrying workers across town and the opening of a railway network to Liverpool in 1830.

Tourism became important in the 20th century and museums, galleries and shopping centres opened across the city. The Metrolink tram service was also introduced. Now, in the 21st century, the city is as bustling as ever as new industries flourish, such as Salford’s media district. The completion of the Manchester Outer Ring Motorway happened in 2000, which now helps support traffic from commuters, residents and tourists working their way around this vibrant city.
 
As the city is as busy as it’s ever been, do check for any Manchester travel news before you leave for your journey.

Motorways near Manchester

M60 - Also known as the Manchester Outer Ring road, the M60 is a continuous loop around Greater Manchester and arguably Manchester’s most important, and most used, motorway.
 
M62 - This motorway links the M60 with the A1(M) via Rochdale, Huddersfield, Leeds and Bradford. As it travels past several large towns and cities it can get congested during peak times.  
 
M56 - The M56 can take you from Manchester to Liverpool and even North Wales. The A556 which connects junction 7 and junction 19 of the M6 has recently been built to help reduce congestion for passengers on their way to Manchester Airport.
 
M6 - The UK’s longest motorway at 200 miles, the M6 can be easily reached by navigating from the M60 onto the M62 at junction 21A. The M6 can take you to the Midlands and further north onto the Lake District.

Common Congestion areas in Manchester

In the city centre and the local surrounding areas, commuters and residents are encouraged to use the Metrolink tram service, as parking and the build-up of the traffic in Manchester can be a problem. Tourists will be able to walk safely down Market Street, the major shopping district, as a large part of it is pedestrianised. If you do decide to drive in, do check the RAC Route Planner app for up to date Manchester traffic news.
 
Mancunian Way - Just as you come into the city centre, near Deansgate, Mancunian Way is a hotspot for traffic. This may be because of the city’s university and the large number of local attractions in the area.

M60 - As this is Manchester’s most important motorway you’ll find that a lot of drivers will be using this route, which will of course may mean a build up of traffic. Expect congestion on the north side near junctions for Oldham, Bury, Bolton and Rochdale.
 
M62 Junction 18 - This is where the M62 joins with the M60 so expect an increase in traffic at this junction.

Upcoming Manchester Roadworks

As Manchester is the third largest city in the UK, there are going to be plans to modernise its roads and routes to keep up with growing number of commuters. Do check for any Manchester road closures, traffic updates and roadworks before you head out on your journey.
 
Upcoming major roadworks in Manchester include:
 
M60 junction 8 and junction 20 - Since 2014 there’s been ongoing roadworks on the M60 to improve the roads and turn the section between junction 8 and 20 into a smart motorway. Do expect some delays especially during peak travel times. The project is set to end in summer 2018.
 
A57/A628 - No start date is confirmed as yet but there are proposed plans to improve the road links between Manchester and Sheffield.