By Chris Gee

Investment in Greater Manchester's motorways is needed now with the M60 at 'saturation point', city mayor Andy Burnham has said.

He accused national infrastructure bodies of thinking 'we can do it on the cheap up there' despite Greater Manchester being the fastest growing city region in the UK.

Speaking on BBC Radio Manchester's 'In The Hotseat' phone-in, the metro mayor responded to a question about recent crashes on the M60 near Stockport.

He was challenged by a caller Tom who called for an extension of the 50mph zone on the motorway near the town. Mr Burnham said: "There was a serious accident recently on the M60 near Stockport.

"I think this is a sound point that National Highways need to hear. "It goes back to us having a growing city region.

"The country has neglected Greater Manchester's big road infrastructure. We're not responsible for it, it's the national organisations.

"National Highways have failed to invest in our motorway infrastructure in the way they should have done and Network Rail have failed to invest in rail. That's the reality."

Mr Burnham addressed concerns about the M60 following two crashes near Stockport this month (Image - LDRS)

Mr Burnham identified the western stretch of the orbital motorway as being of particular concern.

"If you're going up the M602 to try and get on the M60 to go towards Bury or Rochdale, how long will you queue?" he said. "I think that's quite dangerous."

Then there are people who live in my area more towards Wigan who are still going on the M62.

"The M60 is at saturation point. "We've been promised investment in the past and it hasn't come.

"All this needs to be looked at from Stockport all the way round through the Barton flyover into the area that I'm describing, the turn off for Irlam and Eccles and Worsley.

"You've got this confluence of lanes which is very messy and can be quite dangerous. "It's old infrastructure and it doesn't function."

(Image - Nub News)

The mayor said he would continue to press for large-scale investment in the area's roads.

"I spend much of my time pointing out to the national powers that be to look at the growth of our region," he said.

"I sometimes think it's like they feel like 'we can do it on the cheap up there'.

"Whereas in London and the South East they put in new infrastructure such as the Elizabeth line and more.

"Well no, I'm sorry it can't be like that any more. "We've got the fastest growing city region in the UK.

"You've got to put that big infrastructure in – motorways and railways, and if you fail to do it things become more and more dangerous."