The £130m rebuild of the Simister Island interchange, the additional extension of the 2.2km link road and the new Heywood tram stop are collectively making Northern Gateway one of the best connected sites in the UK.
Simister Island interchange
The Department of Transport has given National Highways consent for the overhaul of junction 18 of the M60, where the motorway meets the M62 and M66. The current interchange is prone to congestion through its design not being able to meet the current traffic volumes, causing a pinch point in the Greater Manchester motorway network.
Costain has been confirmed to carry out the works, which are expected to start in Summer 2026.
The major works plan includes:
- New free-flow northern loop – a new link will take drivers directly from the M60 eastbound to M60 southbound without needing to exit the motorway
- M66 realignment – the southbound approach will be moved to increase capacity on the interchange
- Two lane link road – a new two lane free-flow link from M60 northbound to M60 westbound will replace the current single-lane road
- Extra capacity on M66 – increasing to four lanes through junction 18 to tackle peak-hour bottlenecks
- Hard shoulder conversions – between junctions 17 and 18, on the M60, the hard shoulder will be permanently converted into a live lane creating five lanes in each direction
- Supporting works – upgrades to drainage, lighting, signage and signaling
Major works plan at Simister Island. Credit: Construction Enquirer
Extension of the link road
Completed in November 2022, the new 2.2km motorway link road was the first step in delivering the wider Northern Gateway allocation. The new link road, Queen Elizabeth II Way, connects junction 19 of the M62 with Pilsworth Road, acting as a catalyst for the local economy through the newly increased connectivity.
More recently, a further extension was completed in Spring 2024 to Pilsworth Road, creating one of the several entrances that will lead into Northern Gateway. The works incorporated widening and resurfacing a 650m stretch of Pilsworth Road, creating a new walking and cycling route and supporting works, including improving drainage and lighting along the route.
An additional extension to the link road has been proposed for the near future to further the connectivity to the unrivalled employment zone. The new road will connect the most recent section of link road, provide an extension to junction 3 of the M66 and is set to include slip road improvements to allow easier access into Heywood, and its surrounding areas, during peak hours.
New tram train line
Plans by Transport for Greater Manchester for a new Heywood tram stop, just yards away from the Northern Gateway, were unveiled in August 2025 as part of a wider expansion of the Bee Network.
The new proposed tram stop and further bee network connections will see Northern Gateway become one of the best connected sites across the UK.
The business case for Heywood is anticipated to be completed in 2026, and construction has the potential to begin for the strategy in 2028.