AN orbital railway around Manchester, variable motorway speed limits, lorry-only lanes and toll charges are among ideas suggested for tackling congestion on the M60.

More than 5,000 local people and interested organisations put forward the views during the consultation period of the M60 JETTS project (Junction Eighteen to Twelve Transport Study).

The idea was to look at the options for better managing passenger and freight transport using integrated combinations of roads, buses, trams, trains, walking and cycling.

The Transport White Paper acknowledged that this section of the Manchester Outer Ring Road is "heavily overloaded" and the aim of the study is to come up with a long-term strategy to solve the problems.

The ideas include ways of improving public transport integration, controlling driver demand, investment in the highways, managing the impact on the environment, catering for freight and making better use of the existing system. Specific suggestions included:

Closing Junction 17 (Whitefield) and/or Junction 16 (Clifton)

Developing an orbital rail service around Manchester

More frequent bus, train and tram services

Developing through-tickets that enable travellers to seamlessly switch between different modes of transport

Park and ride bus services at motorway junctions

Charging to use the M60.

A steering group involving representatives of the Government Office for the North West, North West Development Agency, HIghways Agency, local authorities, transport action groups and officials from bus, rail and road transport organisations will now investigate the suggestions in detail.

Study manager Mike Heywood from the Government Office North West, said: "There is widespread agreement that congestion is a major problem between junction 18 and junction 12 on the M60 and that it is particularly bad at junction 13, Worsley Courthouse.

"Without taking any steps to remedy the problem, things could get significantly worse in future."

He added "No decisions have been made yet. Over the next few months, we will study these suggestions in greater detail and develop a number of alternative strategies for tackling these issues.

"We will be giving people the chance to have their say on the proposals next spring when we will run another series of public exhibitions as well as consultations with local councils and other affected organisations."