£340,000 maintenance programme for M6 and A66 bridges in Cumbria
A £340,000 programme of bridge improvements along sections of the M6 and A66 in Cumbria will start at the end of the month.
Highways England is improving maintenance access to Kentigern Bridge along the A66 near Keswick as well as to 4 bridges along the M6 between junction 35 at Carnforth and junction 40 at Penrith.
Highways England project manager Mark Mosley said:
This is routine work to improve maintenance access at the bridges which will in turn cause less disruption to drivers’ journeys when we need to do repairs.
While we will need to close the A66 overnight, work on the M6 bridges will not affect motorway journeys – although we do appreciate drivers like to know what work is going on. Local roads over the M6 will be subject to closures or temporary traffic lights and we’d advise those drivers, as well as people using the A66, to leave a little bit of extra time for journeys.
Work at Kentigern Bridge, which carries the A66 over the River Derwent, will require full closures of both the westbound and eastbound carriageways – between Crosthwaite roundabout and the junction with High Hill – for 3 nights, the dates of which have yet to be finalised but will be publicised in advance.
The work, which starts on Monday (28 November) and is due to be completed by Thursday 22 December, will mainly be done between 7am and 6pm each day using temporary traffic lights - staffed at peak times to minimise needless queuing.
Work at Greenrigg Bridge, between junction 39 at Shap and junction 40 at Penrith, will also take place between 28 November and 22 December between 7am and 6pm each day.
Work on the 3 other M6 motorway bridges – Moss End Lane just south of junction 36 for Kirkby Lonsdale and Lupton and Hoghouse bridges between junction 36 and junction 37 for Kendal - will be done in the new year between Monday 9 January and Sunday 5 February, again between 7am and 6pm each day.
The closure of local roads over the motorway will be accompanied by clearly-signed diversions.
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.
Media enquiries
Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.