MOTORISTS are set to be hit by a further six months of delays on the M60 as smart motorway has been delayed.

Highways England's work on the smart motorway improvements on the M60 between junction 10 at the Trafford Centre and 18 at Simister Island were set to finish in December but has now been delayed.

The 50mph speed limit will stay in place throughout the work meaning that people using the M61 to Bolton to connect to the ring road will be hit by the delays when travelling around the region.

Junctions eight to ten are currently set to open as planned this autumn.

In December electronic speed limit signs will come into operation on the M60 from junctions eight to ten and M62 junctions 18 to 20 and extra lanes will also open on the M62.

That leaves temporary narrow lanes to be removed on the M60 from junctions 15 to 18 next summer, temporary narrow lanes to be removed from M60 junctions ten to 15 and M60 junctions 11 to 18 to open once technology has been successfully tested.

The M60 will reopen fully once the new smart motorway technology has been tested.

The £208 million project will allow state-of-the-art technology to measure traffic levels and set varied speed limits to keep vehicles moving as efficiently as possible.

Work started on the project in 2014 and was expected to be completed by autumn this year but motorists will now be left frustrated as the work continues into next summer.

Research earlier this year revealed that the M60 was among the slowest motorways in Britain.