THE M60 has been named as the region’s most consistently congested motorway.

A survey of business owners across Greater Manchester revealed 69% identified the busy ring road as the worst motorway for being regularly gridlocked.

It even beats the notorious stretch of the M62 between Manchester and Leeds in to second place, with 12% of votes.

In the Federation of Small Businesses members poll, the M602/M62 west of Manchester and the M56, which serves Manchester Airport, each polled seven per cent of the votes for joint third.

The M61 which serves Bolton polled fourth - with four per cent - and the M66 in Bury earns the title of least congested motorway in the region with just one per cent.

The survey also quizzed respondents on how to improve motorway congestion.

Increased capacity/extra lanes was the most popular choice (47%), followed by ‘better public transport’ (18%).

‘More smart motorways’ polled (14%). Just 6% though road tolling would help.

Simon Edmondson, FSB Regional Chairman for Manchester & North Cheshire, said: “Without question, the M60 has the dubious honour of being the worst motorway in the region for congestion – even convincingly beating the M62 in to second place, and that’s saying something.

"It’s quite clear improvements to the M60 can’t come soon enough but our members don’t seem convinced ‘smart’ motorways are the answer.

“When the major transport networks aren’t up to standard it affects the region’s economic productivity – and this is fundamentally what the Northern Powerhouse project is seeking to address. We need more capacity and we need it now.”