National Highways says it will reconsider how it manages roadworks on a stretch of the M6 near Lancaster after drivers reported being stuck in queues for 12 hours over the weekend.

Lancs Live reports a spokesperson told it bosses “might consider” changing the way the roadworks are being implemented and the diversion route after the queues. It was also added that the full closure was needed due to the complex repairs and the waterproofing being carried out.

National Highways tweeted about the closure between J33 and J32 for essential maintenance works. There are severe delays of at least 2 hours above normal journey times on approach to the closure. Road users are advised to allow extra time for journeys.

On the National Highways website, one irate driver reported:

The full closure of the southbound carriageway on the M6 this weekend has caused dangerous volumes of different types of traffic on trunk roads and minor roads as people struggle to get to places while the M6 is shut.

The small villages that lie on the A6 and the surrounding roads simply cannot cope with the heavy and diverse vehicles (today I followed a 40 footer truck slowly winding along the lanes), some being so large they hardly fit the lanes they are driving onto, this additional volume of traffic is causing near misses with vehicles and cyclists alike, for which this area is very known for the cyclist community. Traffic is travelling along the A6 causing long delays, also, traffic is now travelling within the trough of bowland where the lanes are not fit for purpose of large vehicles. The speed that some of these are travelling at is very excessive, and I am surprised a cyclist hasn’t been killed, some vehicles still believe they are on the motorway doing silly speeds and being stupid.

Why was a contra-flow system is not put in place on the motorway or even consider nighttime only closures is beyond me and our local community.

(Graphic – National Highways Twitter)