Emergency repairs on the M56 closed two lanes between Ellesmere Port and Runcorn, leading to long delays. National Highways is calling upon drivers to plan ahead and work alternative routes while works continue well into this morning and this afternoon. Nearby roads are also going to be congested.

Part of the M56 has been closed since Saturday evening due to emergency repairs, leaving long tailbacks and frustrated motorists. National Highways said that a broken metal grid on the road face was in urgent need of repair and closed two lanes eastbound between junction 14 for Ellesmere Port and junction 12 for Runcorn.

What’s Going on on the M56?

The problem was first identified at about 6 pm on Saturday when National Highways discovered that something was wrong with the metal grid. This meant that for safety, lanes 1 and 2 of the eastbound side of the motorway were closed. Repair works began overnight, but are taking longer than expected and further repairs are anticipated to go on into this afternoon.

Why Are These Repairs So Important?

The repairs had to be done as a safety measure for all users along the M56. The broken metal grid, if not repaired, might have damaged several vehicles, which could have caused accidents. National Highways took immediate action to prevent any such serious condition by closing the lanes and repair work.

How is the Traffic?

As was expected, the M56 lane closures are causing severe delays. Congestion is building up not only on the M56 but also on surrounding roads as well, traffic monitoring service Inrix said. Traffic is so bad that delays are going back to the M53 interchange and even onto the A51 through Tarvin as drivers try to avoid the M56.

How Are Drivers Coping?

Drivers are getting frustrated as they trudge through delays. Many are attempting to find alternative routes to bypass congestion, but this does cause traffic on other roads. The situation has become quite serious that National Highways is advising anybody planning journeys in the area to allow more time for their journey or find a completely different route if at all possible.

What is National Highways saying?

National Highways has been warning members of the public about what is happening since this morning. One of its spokespersons said it is likely to go on into this afternoon; delays are likely to persist until the work is completed. They also added that planning in advance would help in not getting caught in the traffic.

“Motorists planning to travel in Cheshire should expect potential delays on the M56 eastbound near Runcorn,” he said. “We are working as hard as we can to fix the broken metal grid. However, we are taking every precaution to ensure the safety of motorists and our workforce, so we advise finding alternative routes if possible or allowing extra time for your journey.”

What Are the Current Conditions?

Traffic cameras on the M56 are showing how bad the disruption is. The image taken from junction 12 has shown the two closed lanes marked off with traffic cones. The road eases from one lane into three after junction 12, but traffic is starting to build up on the carriageway before that point.

Then there’s another photo with light queues building on the M56 as the traffic must be flowing slower because of lane closures. The situation should only deteriorate as the day progresses, especially if the work continues into the afternoon.

What Drivers Can Do

If you’re going to be taking the M56 on your journey today, it’s really worth trying to avoid the area if you can do. These delays are also likely to cause massive knock-on disruption with finding alternative routes quite possibly saving you huge amounts of time and stress. If you can’t avoid the M56, make sure you allow plenty of extra time to reach where you’re going.

How long will this last?

There is no timescale in works coming to an end ultimately, but National Highways is striving to get the road back to normality at the earliest. The restoration work, it warned to drivers, would most likely take most part of the morning into the afternoon and would be expected to feature a long wait.

This serves as an excellent reminder of just how essential it is that we keep our roads safe. Delays are frustrating, but of course, these emergency repairs must be done to prevent accidents and have the motorway usable by all. So if you find yourselves driving in this neck of the woods today, try to stay patient and follow the advice from National Highways. It might be a bumpy ride, but safety comes first!