The value of the deal has been cut from an original range of £190m to £267m to a final price of £184m.

The work will be carried-out by Carillion, Balfour Beatty, Costain and a BAM Nuttall/Morgan Sindall Joint Venture.

The job will be managed through a collaboration agreement under which the delivery partners will be able to share knowledge and best practice.

It has been awarded under the Highways Agency’s National Major Projects framework and Balfour will be lead contractor.

Work on the scheme is scheduled to begin in July and be completed by Autumn 2017.

The quartet will transform a 17-mile stretch of the network between Junction 8 of the M60 near Sale and Junction 20 of the M62 near Rochdale.

Construction work will include installing and refurbishing gantries, new static and variable signs, lighting, concrete safety barriers, drainage and surfacing works.

Roads Minister Robert Goodwill said: “This will tackle the congestion and unpredictable journey times that users of the M60 and M62 experience every day, which costs the economy some £2 billion a year.

“It is also good news for the construction industry as more than a thousand jobs will be created to help deliver these vital improvements.”