Sharston Interchange

Sharston Interchange, M56 junction 2, is a grade-separated roundabout on the D2M eastern arm, or Sharston spur, of the M56. To the east of the roundabout is a pair of slip roads. To the west of the junction roundabout, as far as the nearby Greenwood Road roundabout, the M56 runs in a cutting below and between the carriageways of the A560, which are at ground level.

A version of the interchange first opened in March 1974 as part of the contract known as Sharston Bypass East, which comprised the M56 and M63 (now M56 and M60) eastward from here to M60 J2.

At that time the roundabout operated roughly as now, despite the fact that the western of the two bridges which carry it had not yet been built. The west side of the roundabout followed a temporary line just to the east of the present western bridge.

The western bridge, the permanent west side of the roundabout, and the M56 westward to M56 J3 comprised the contract known as Sharston Bypass West, opened on 14 May 1975.

When the junction was first built there was a swimming pool to the south-east of the roundabout. To avoid the building, the westbound off-slip was partly cantilevered above the hard shoulder of the main carriageway, and this feature remains though the pool has since been demolished.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
M56	(M60) Ring Road (S & E), Stockport, Didsbury, Sheffield (M67), Leeds (M62)
M56	Chester, Warrington, Manchester Airport, Birmingham (M6)	This road can be joined from M56 only
A560	Altrincham, Manchester (A5013), Chester (M56) Birmingham (M6) L'pool (M62), Bolton, Preston(M61)	Allows joining of M56 Westbound
A560	Wythenshawe, Cheadle, Wilmslow (A34)
B5168	Sharston Industrial Estate	Road number not shown