Maya Ellis secures ministerial meeting to tackle M6 gridlock and push for road infrastructure reform

Maya Ellis, MP for Ribble Valley, has called for urgent action to address mounting traffic chaos caused by recurring incidents on the M6 motorway - securing a commitment from the Roads Minister to meet and discuss long-term solutions.

Following another major collision on the M6 between Junctions 31A and 32 on the morning of May 15, which saw the motorway closed for over an hour, Mrs Ellis raised the issue in Parliament directly with the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander.

Mrs Ellis said: “Economic growth requires people to be able to get to work. This morning, yet another road traffic accident happened on the stretch of M6 motorway that goes through my constituency and yours, Mr Speaker.

"This has a hugely disruptive impact on the mainly small roads around it in my constituency.

"Yet again, my residents in Longridge, Grimsargh and all the surrounding areas woke up to the prospect of another journey to work that takes two hours instead of 20 minutes, and that is becoming a monthly - if not weekly - occurrence. Will the Minister meet me to discuss what can be done?”

The minister agreed in principle to a meeting, which Mrs Ellis is now working to arrange for June.

“This was a timely opportunity to get the issue directly on the government’s agenda,” said Mrs Ellis.

“Delays like this don’t just cause inconvenience - they result in missed school pick-ups, cancelled hospital appointments, disrupted work shifts and hours lost from people’s lives. I know how frustrating it is for residents to deal with this again and again.”

Mrs Ellis has also expressed her support for a longstanding proposal, backed by Preston MP Sir Mark Hendrick, which would see a new River Ribble crossing constructed from Penwortham to Lea, linking the Penwortham bypass to the Preston Western Distributor.

The aim is to provide greater resilience in the local road network when the M6 is closed.

“At the moment, if the M6 goes down, all the traffic is forced onto small country roads that simply aren’t built to take that volume of cars,” she explained. “The long-mooted new crossing would provide an alternative route across the river and could make a real difference when there are future incidents.”

Mrs Ellis is in contact with Matt Townsend, director of highways at Lancashire County Council, and is pushing for collaborative action across all levels of government.

“Ultimately, the M6 is a national highway and the responsibility of central government – but the consequences of its failure fall heavily on local communities,” she said. “We need to get National Highways, local authorities, and ministers in the same room to work out a practical plan.”

Beyond the M6, Mrs Ellis is campaigning on several key road issues across her constituency:

• Rural Speed Limits: Many traditionally quiet country roads are now major commuter routes due to new housing developments, yet still retain national speed limits.
• Pedestrian Crossings: Increased traffic from new builds has made previously safe roads dangerous, particularly for children and older residents.
• Section 106 Reform: Better use of developer contributions to fund essential road safety improvements like crossings and speed reductions.

“These might sound like small things - potholes, traffic queues, unsafe crossings - but they have a huge impact on people’s day-to-day lives,” she said.

“This is what matters to residents, and that’s why it matters to me. I’m determined to keep the pressure on until we get some proper, long-term solutions in place.”