Drivers across the North West are being urged to get into the habit of checking traffic conditions before they travel – with a busy month ahead on the region’s events calendar.
The Highways Agency says events at Manchester Airport, Blackpool and the Pope’s visits to Birmingham and Glasgow are all likely to put extra traffic on the region’s motorway network.
The first of those events takes place tomorrow (Wednesday, September 1) when the world’s biggest passenger airliner, the Airbus A380, begins a scheduled service from Manchester Airport for the first time.
Manchester is the first regional airport in the world to host regular A380 flights and crowds of people are expected at the airport, which is adjacent to Junctions 5 and 6 of the M56, to watch the Emirates service touch down for the first time at around noon tomorrow.
The busy week continues on Friday (September 3) with Take That singer and international solo star Robbie Williams switching on the annual Blackpool Illuminations.
The Highways Agency is advising drivers that traffic is likely to be busy around Junction 32 of the M6, the interchange with the M55, and along the M55 itself into Blackpool as people from the region and beyond head into the resort to catch a glimpse of Robbie and this year’s lights.
The Illuminations finish this year on Sunday, November 7, and while the M6 and M55 usually cope well with traffic into Blackpool this year’s visitor flows will be monitored even more closely with the promotion of Blackpool Football Club into the Premiership.
The Tangerines’ first few home matches in the Premiership – in a newly-expanded Bloomfield Road stadium – are coinciding with the lights.
The Lancashire derby with Blackburn is on Saturday, September 25, and three big home matches with Manchester City, Everton and West Bromwich Albion will also be taking place during the Illuminations programme.
Matt Sweeting, the Highways Agency’s Regional Performance Manager for the North West, said, “We are used to planning for events and we are not anticipating major problems but traffic may be heavy around key junctions at times and our advice to drivers is to make a note of the dates and get into the habit of checking traffic conditions before they set out and leaving extra time for journeys if necessary.”
Real-time Highways Agency traffic information is available at www.highways.gov.uk, on Traffic Radio (DAB radio or the internet at www.trafficradio.org.uk) or via the Highways Agency 24-hour voice activated phone service on 08700 660 115.
