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M62 - Your Local History
A lot of finds were uncovered during the archaeological evaluation carried out for the M62 Junction 6 Improvement scheme so we thought it would be nice to provide an interactive website so you can see what we found.
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Better information for your journey
The National Traffic Control Centre collects real-time information on road conditions
Quick Links
Don't Cross or Walk Along Motorways
The Highways Agency aims to make more people aware of the dangers of walking or crossing our motorway. We have launched a poster and radio campaign aimed at 16-25yr olds. Hopefully with our hard hitting posters, our message will come across.
Educating tomorrow's drivers
See how we are driving through key messages about safety on our network for the drivers of tomorrow.
Meet the Ancestors
Find out about the history of roads and the work the Agency does to preserve archaeological remains.
See when traffic will be lightest
Our traffic forecaster can help get you there quicker
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why do I see 60/50mph speed limits set when there are low levels of traffic and the traffic appears to be moving freely?
A: This often happens after a period of congestion on the motorway and the traffic conditions are recovering. By limiting the speed of traffic as conditions improve, we decrease the likelihood that the traffic flow will break down in stop start conditions again.
Q: Why do I sometimes see inappropriate signals and messages on the gantries?
A: The system is responding to a real event that is happening at that moment. It is possible that by the time you arrive at the location of the original incident it has cleared and you will not be able to see the original cause. It's also possible that traffic could have been caused by somebody braking hard and causing a concertina effect back along the motorway, meaning the system would trigger because of congestion but you would never see the original cause.
Q: Will I be able to reach an emergency refuge area if I break down?
A: Due to the close proximity of the ERAs it is highly likely that you would be able to reach one in the event of a breakdown. If you were not able to guide your vehicle into an ERA either during normal motorway conditions or hard shoulder running then you should follow the advice in the Highway Code.
Should this happen, our controllers will be able to spot you on CCTV camera and use the overhead electronic signals to close the lane you are in to protect you and provide access for your recovery operator. One of our Traffic Officers may also be on hand to help you into a refuge area.
Q: How do the emergency services reach the scene of an accident if the hard shoulder in use?
A: The operators at the control centre have the ability to open and close any lane of this stretch of motorway at the touch of a button. This means that in the event of an incident they can simply close the affected lane(s) by putting a red cross on the electronic signal above the lane. This means that the lane is clear for emergency vehicle access and traffic can still make it past the scene using the unaffected lanes.
