DRIVERS are being warned of large-scale disruption on the M6 from next week.

It comes as the next stage in a major project by National Highways to ‘upgrade’ the motorway between Warrington and Wigan begins.

The agency says the closures are necessary to install gantries to house electronic signs along the northern section of the project.

Earlier this month, the project team started installing gantries between junction 23 for Haydock and junction 26 for Orrell.

To continue this work, there will be a series of overnight closures of either the southbound or northbound carriageway starting on Monday, January 30.

In all, 65 new gantries are being installed along the motorway between junction 21a for the M6 at Croft interchange and junction 26.

Ten of the new structures are ‘super-span’ gantries, providing overhead signs across both carriageways.

Next week’s work also includes installing new safety barriers, completing drainage and finishing resurfacing of the new lane one in both the southbound and northbound carriageways.

To allow the larger gantries to be installed safely, the northbound M6 between junctions 23 and 26 will be closed from 9pm to 6am on Monday, January 30.

The same carriageway will again be closed between the same times on Wednesday, February 1, and Thursday, February 2.

Southbound carriageway closures between junctions 26 and 23 – again from 9pm to 6am each night – will be taking place on Tuesday, January 31, and Friday, February 3.

The southbound carriageway will also be closed overnight on Saturday, February 4, but from 9pm to 7am the following morning, Sunday, February 5.

Further overnight carriageway closures will be taking place in mid-February.

Clearly-signed diversions will be in place running west of the M6 using the A580, A570 and M58.

Drivers are advised to check traffic conditions before setting out on journeys.