MOTORISTS are being warned of disruption from a project to resurface one of the busiest sections of the M56.

National Highways is resurfacing sections of worn carriageway around Manchester Airport next month.

This will be on both the eastbound and westbound carriageways between junction five for the airport and junction six for Hale Barns, with overnight work starting on Monday, June 10.

Some of the slip roads at junctions five and six, as well as at junction four for Wythenshawe, will also be resurfaced.

All the work, which also includes replacing some bridge joints and traffic detection loops in the road surface, will be done overnight, with ‘occasional’ carriageway or slip road closures.

The working hours will be between 9pm and 5am, or 7am on Saturdays, when the motorway is at its quietest.

National Highways project manager Rob Williams said: “This is important, if routine, wear and tear work.

“We are aiming to be well out of the way before the start of the school summer holiday period.

“We are working closely with the airport to ensure they are aware of our timetable and a small number of overnight closures, which will mean drivers needing to leave a little bit of extra time to get to work or check-in for flights.”

The resurfacing programme includes a full closure of the eastbound carriageway between junctions seven and five, en-route to the airport, for five nights from the evening of Monday, June 17, to the morning of Saturday, June 22.

Drivers heading to the airport and beyond will be able to use an alternative motorway route using the northbound M6, eastbound M62, anti-clockwise M60 and westbound M56.

A further full closure of the eastbound carriageway, between junctions six and four, is scheduled for the nights of Tuesday and Wednesday, June 11 and 12, and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, July eight, nine and 10.

A diversion will operate from junction six via the local road network incorporating Runger Lane and Thorley Lane to the airport, and onwards to junction four via the A555, Styal Road and Simonsway.

The Runger Lane and Thorley Lane diversion route to the airport will also be in place when the eastbound M56 is closed between junctions six and five on Thursday and Friday, June 13 and 14, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, June 24, 25, and 26, and Thursday and Friday, July 4 and 5.

Two slip road closures affecting journeys to the airport will also be taking place.

One will be the eastbound exit slip road at junction five on Friday, June 28, with drivers on the M56 eastbound needing to exit at junction 3a instead, joining the westbound M56, travelling back to junction five and using the westbound exit slip road to get to the airport.

The other will be the westbound exit slip road at junction five on Wednesday, July 17, with drivers on the westbound M56 needing to exit at junction six instead, joining the eastbound M56, travelling back to junction five and using the eastbound exit slip road to get to the airport.