M6 Clifton bridge replacement

Network Rail is replacing the existing bridge that carries the West Coast Main Line over the M6, between junction 39 and 40 near Penrith in Cumbria.

Start date January 2025

End date June 2026

Cost £60 million

Latest updates

13 January 2025
Preparations begin for major railway bridge replacement

Network Rail has started work on-site one year ahead of a major railway bridge being replaced at Clifton in Cumbria.

The 60-year-old bridge, which takes trains over the M6, has reached the end of its life and needs to be replaced.

Demolition of the current structure and installation of a new bridge is set to take place in January 2026.

Prior to the main construction, we’re carrying out enabling work alongside Network Rail.

Last week, Network Rail began building a site compound. The compound is located between junction 39 and 40 of the M6 close to the current bridge.

In addition, we started constructing a temporary access road to the work site for Network Rail. This is planned to be completed by April 2025.

Current roadworks

There will be a 24-hour hard shoulder and lane one closure on the M6 northbound from Clifton, around two miles south of junction 40.

The lane closures will provisionally be in place until end of the project in June 2026. This is for the safety of road users and workforces accessing and exiting the site compound.

Other traffic management will be required throughout the project. More information will be shared ahead of these closures taking place.

Major road and rail closures

To safely demolish the old bridge and replace it, the M6 will close between junction 39 (Shap) and 40 (Penrith) in both directions from:
- evening of Friday 2 January to morning of Monday 5 January 2026
- evening of Friday 9 January to morning of Monday 12 January 2026
The railway will also be closed for two weeks so the new bridge can be safely installed.

Please remember that closures can change at short notice. You can check the latest information on our daily closures page or find live travel information on our Traffic England website. Our travel alerts give details of live incidents on our network.

Further information, including diversion routes and rail passenger advice, will be announced as soon as possible.

See more updates

Project information

Clifton bridge is a major railway structure that carries the West Coast Main Line (WCML) over the M6 motorway.

The WCML is one of the most important railway lines in the country and links the north of England to Scotland.

The bridge is located south of Penrith in Cumbria, between junction 39 and 40.

Network Rail is replacing the existing 137-metre-long bridge. The replacement of the structure will ensure an increased lifespan of over 120 years, maintain safety and journey reliability in the long term.

We’re working with Network Rail to minimise disruption on the local community, road users and train passengers during this essential project.

To complete the work, engineers will dismantle the old bridge. The new bridge will then be installed and is being built off-site, reducing the number of closures needed.

We know people rely on the M6 for business, leisure and visiting friends and family.

The bridge replacement project will ensure road users and train passengers continue to experience safe and reliable journeys for many years to come.

The work will also reduce the number of reactive repairs on the bridge, meaning fewer unplanned road closures and less disruption in the long term. Additionally, we’ll be working with other projects in the area to share traffic management and reduce the number of closures needed.