NEW research has revealed that the M60 is among the slowest motorways in Britain.

Figures released by the vehicle tracking company SATRAK show which of the country's motorways have the lowest average speed.

The M60 came in at number eight on the list, with an average speed of just 46.05mph.

The M602, which connects the M60 to Salford and the centre of Manchester, was ranked as the tenth slowest, with an average speed of 48.33mph.

The figures come as work continues to convert the M60 to a smart motorway between Sale and the M62 at Rochdale, which covers the M61 junction to and from Bolton.

The work started in July 2014 and is costing £208.3million and is expected to be completed around the end of September this year.

Motorists have faced 50mph restrictions while the work is taking place.

Various night closures have been in place throughout the works but once it is complete there will be more than 350 electronic signs on the route warning drivers of changes in the mandatory speed limit, lane closures and incidents ahead.

SATRAK analysed 527,700 vehicles to find the nation's slowest motorways based on the average speed of vehicles travelling on them.

The data was gathered throughout 2016 and covered all 2,173 miles of Britain's motorways.

The slowest motorway in the country was found to be the M25, with an average speed of just 25.05mph, almost half that of the M60 and the M602.

Making up the rest of the top ten was the M4, M606, M621, M73, M1, M8 and the M3.

The research also revealed the nation's fastest and slowest cities, with Manchester coming in as the 20th slowest, with an average speed of 19.8mph.

Research carried out last year by the Federation of Small Businesses, identified the M60 has the most congested motorway in Greater Manchester.

The survey of business owners in the area revealed 69 percent identified it as the worst motorway for being regularly gridlocked with the M61 coming in fourth with just four percent and the M66 in Bury earning the title of the least congested motorway.