The £130m rebuild of the Simister Island interchange, the additional extension of the 2.2km link road and the newly announced proposal of the Heywood tram-train stop are collectively making HPARK more accessible for employment opportunities.
HPARK is a 2.1 million sq ft industrial and logistic development of grade A space, located in Heywood, brought forward by Russell LDP.
Simister Island interchange
The Department of Transport has given National Highways consent for the overhaul of Junction 18 of the M62, where the motorway meets the M60 and M66.
Costain has been confirmed to carry out the works, which are expected to start in Summer 2026.
The major works plan includes:
- New free-flow northern loop – a new link will take drivers directly from the M60 eastbound to M60 southbound without needing to exit the motorway
- M66 realignment – the southbound approach will be moved to increase capacity on the interchange
- Two lane link road – a new two lane free-flow link from M60 northbound to M60 westbound will replace the current single-lane road
- Extra capacity on M66 – increasing to four lanes through junction 18 to tackle peak-hour bottlenecks
- Hard shoulder conversions – between junctions 17 and 18, on the M60, the hard shoulder will be permanently converted into a live lane creating five lanes in each direction
- Supporting works – upgrades to drainage, lighting, signage and signaling
Link Road Connectivity
Completed in November 2022, the 2.2km motorway link road was the first step in delivering the wider South Heywood masterplan, further supporting HPARK and the wider Phase 2 Northern Gateway scheme. The link road, known as Queen Elizabeth II Way, connects Junction 19 of the M62 directly to the entrance of the site, acting as a catalyst for the local economy through the newly increased connectivity.
More recently, a further extension was completed in Spring 2024 to Pilsworth Road. The works incorporated widening and resurfacing a 650m stretch of Pilsworth Road, creating a new walking and cycling route and supporting works, including improving drainage and lighting along the route.
An additional extension to the link road has been proposed for the near future to further the connectivity to the unrivalled employment zone. This is known as the ‘Northern Gateway Western Access’, and has received £52.1 million of funding as part of the recently announced Greater Manchester Good Growth Fund, to provide improved multi-modal access and create a direct route to the site from Junction 3 of the M66.
Explore upcoming transport improvements in the Northern Gateway
New tram train line
Plans by Transport for Greater Manchester for a new Heywood tram stop, just yards away from HPARK, were unveiled in August 2025 as part of a wider expansion of the Bee Network. According to the Greater Manchester Strategy, the installation of other new tram and tram train lines forms part of the £6m funding package to integrate all local rail lines with the Bee Network.
These works will make Greater Manchester the first community outside of London to be served by fully connected bike, bus, tram and train travel.
The business case for Heywood is anticipated to be completed in 2026, and construction has the potential to begin in 2028.
HPARK is already placed in a prime industrial location with easy access to the motorway network and the wider north west region, only 9 miles from Manchester city centre. With the current plans underway to enhance this connectivity, HPARK is set to bring a thriving regional workforce to the area, as part of the wider Atom Valley Mayoral Development Zone.