For the second time in just four months, the M60 around Manchester is to be dug up for repairs and maintenance, meaning further delays for motorists.

The six-mile length of the road, laid a decade ago, is to be resurfaced at the area around the Middleton junction 19 to junction 23 at Ashton-under-Lyne. In December last year, following the opening of a number of cracks in the road’s surface, the same stretch or road was placed under investigation by the Highways Agency. The new project is set to start on May 7 and is expected to continue until the end of 2010.

The news has prompted the Drivers Alliance spokesperson Sean Corker to call on the Highways Agency to be honest and forthcoming with information revealing why the section of road was so problematic and what the true cost to the taxpayer was. Corker claimed that at some point, serious errors had been made, presumably when the road was first laid, but also with the attempted repairs.

The lack of transparency has been frustrating, and given that the stretch of road was one of the busiest in the Manchester orbital network, it will likely lead to large problems for motorists. The Highways Agency has declined to comment on the issue, citing the forthcoming election as preventing it from making any statement.

The majority of the roadworks will occur on weekends, between 21:00 BST on Friday evening and 05:00 BST on Monday morning when the volume of traffic on the road is lighter in order to keep disruptions to a minimum. In addition, bank holidays would be spared any roadworks as would any other significant events which caused heavy traffic.