Wigan's fastest and slowest motorway stretches revealed

The stretch of Wigan’s roads you should most steer clear of to avoid getting caught in traffic has been revealed in new figures.

And ironically its’ right next to the fastest one!

The Department for Transport has released its latest statistics on average speeds and delays on England’s major routes.

With the data showing that traffic is becoming more sluggish across the nation, the RAC says drivers will be frustrated but not surprised.

According to the figures, drivers in Wigan travelled at a mere 50.2mph on average on the part of the M58 eastbound between J5 and the Orrell interchange with the M6 in 2019 – the lowest speed recorded on any section of major road in the area.

The only consolation was that this is a slight increase from the average of 49.5mph a year earlier.

At the other end of the scale, the M6 northbound carriageway at Orrell (next to the junction) saw the fastest recorded traffic, with motorists sped along part of it at an average of 68.4mph!

The figures also show that road users faced the longest delay in the same section of road where the lowest speeds were recorded.

They were held up on part of this by 20.5 seconds per mile on average, compared to the pace they would have made if travelling at the speed limit.

Across England’s major roads, the average speed was 58.8mph last year, down from 59.4mph in 2017.

Meanwhile, delays crept up over the period to an average of 9.5 seconds per mile.

RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: “Drivers will find it frustrating, but perhaps not surprising, that average speeds on England’s major roads are reducing.

“RAC research shows that in many parts of the country drivers are becoming more, not less dependent on their cars for the journeys they need to make, and it’s also the case that the network is now carrying record levels of road traffic.

“If you also factor in the impact of roadworks currently affecting so many busy stretches, such as on the M1 and M4, you have the perfect combination of conditions that will lead to slower traffic speeds.”

A DfT spokeswoman said: “This government is determined to improve journeys for all motorists, which is why we’re investing nearly £29bn to reduce congestion on our roads up to 2025.

“Looking to the future, our £2.5bn Transforming Cities Fund will help develop innovative public transport projects, while the tripling of our investment per head in cycling and walking since 2010 is encouraging people to try other ways of getting around – helping create less congested towns and cities.”