HIGHWAYS bosses have admitted that a £1.5m scheme to improve traffic flow on the M56 actually made things worse.

And now they are having to spend more than double that amount - £3.8m - on putting things right.

They admitted that a computer program `got it wrong' and had `failed to account for human behaviour'.

Motorists put up with chaos and roadworks which cut the Manchester-bound carriageway to two lanes at Junction 7 at Bowdon last year . . . and now face another 22 weeks of cones as the junction is altered again.

The Highways Agency is spending the extra £3.8m to reinstate the third lane after their traffic modelling program `got it wrong'.

Drivers had told the M.E.N. the `improvements' were causing daily queues stretching back towards the motorway's junction with the M6.

Now the Highways Agency says it is revising the junction's layout to `ease congestion'. It said in a statement: "The junction was altered last September with the aim of improving the flow of traffic.

"But while the scheme has helped vehicles merge more freely from the A556, there have been increased delays on the main carriageway.

"To combat this problem, the Highways Agency is now planning to reinstate three lanes on the main carriageway and adapt the hard shoulder to provide a long auxiliary lane for traffic joining the motorway from the A556."

The slip road leading on to the M56 at Junction 7 used to merge from two lanes into one as it reached the Manchester-bound carriageway.

Work to construct an extra filter lane for motorway access was done last year, but traffic on the motorway was reduced to two lanes and drivers were soon fed up after the scheme was completed in September.

Geoff Robbins, from Winsford, said: "The changes to the junction layout are causing chaos for commuters trying to get to work.

"The enormous increase in congestion is adding more than 30 minutes to a journey that used to take an hour."

Alwyn Burrage, from Chester, a regular commuter to Manchester, said: "I've generally had a trouble-free journey of about an hour each way. But since the changes, it has become a nightmare.

"Traffic was fine until this disaster of a decision. It's morning mayhem and accidents will almost certainly happen."

Work to modify the junction will start on August 26 for about 22 weeks.

Most of the work will be done at night to avoid further disruption.

Neal Symmons, from the Highways Agency, said: "We have monitored and evaluated the scheme and listened to drivers, which is why we are embarking on this new work.

"We understand the frustration of motorists using this route over the last few months and we appreciate not only their feedback, but also their patience during the preparation of the new scheme."

He added: "Although it's not possible to eradicate delays entirely, the changes we intend to make should improve the situation significantly."

Signs will be put up advising motorists of closures, diversions and other restrictions. More information will be available at www.highways.gov.uk

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