The Highways Agency has warned drivers could face delays as work continues on a £150 million scheme to create the region’s first managed motorway.

Construction work has begun on the M62 as part of a project designed to improve journey times and safety between Brighouse and Rothwell.

Once complete, the scheme will use variable mandatory speed limits and will involve opening up the hard shoulder as an extra running lane.

Work on the Managed Motorway scheme started in October and it is scheduled to open to traffic by 2014.

David Pilsworth, Highways Agency project manager, said: “We are pleased with how the scheme is progressing, and we’d like to thank drivers for their patience during the works.”