North West maintenance schemes

We're carrying out safety improvements on the A550 between Hooton and Shotwick. 

Our work involves improving pedestrian access, clearing roadside verges, replacement planting and installing red light and average speed enforcement cameras.

We’ll be starting work on Monday 22 April and are planning to finish by the end of August 2024.

To reduce disruption on drivers, we’ll be working overnight from Monday to Friday between 9pm and 5am. Work will be paused during both bank holidays in May to help motorists.

To safely carry out our work, we’ll need to the close the north and south sections of the A550 overnight. We will only ever close one section at any time as detailed below:

• Monday 22 April to Tuesday 16 July – A494 (Shotwick) to A550 Two Mills junction, both carriageways closed
• Wednesday 17 July to Wednesday 28 August – A550 Two Mills junction to A41 (Hooton), both carriageways closed

Diversion routes will be clearly signed during any road closures, which have been agreed in advance with Cheshire West and Chester Council and emergency services.

We're carrying out drainage improvement works on the junction of West Drive and A585 Amounderness Way near Cleveleys.

Our work aims to alleviate flooding around the junction. We will be replacing the existing kerbs with new drainage kerbs, undertaking repairs to drainage pipes, levelling the footpaths and clearing vegetation.

To undertake these essential works, we will have plant and machinery on site to excavate and reinstate the kerb line and tarmac.

Our work will start on Monday 19 February and complete by Friday 15 March 2024.

We will work under a combination of daytime and overnight closures during this four-week period.

We will install the new drainage kerbs under the daytime closures on the northbound approach to the junction. To do this we are removing the safety barrier on the northbound approach.

While the safety barrier is removed, a lane 1 closure on the A585 northbound and lane 2 closure on the A585 southbound approach to the four-way lights will be in place. This is to ensure the safety of our workforce and our customers. The left hand turn onto West Drive will remain open.

The drainage repairs and re-levelling of the crossing point will be completed overnight under different traffic management methods due to their locations. The left hand and right hand turn from the A585 northbound approach on to West Drive will be closed depending on which section of carriageway we are working in.

The diversion for when the turning lanes are closed will be to travel north to Eros Roundabout and make a U-turn. Overnight work will take place between 8pm and 5am.

We're investing more than £2 million in safety improvements on the A590 between Foulshaw Moss and junction 36 (Crooklands) of the M6.

To minimise disruption on drivers and the local community, we're coordinating our work to reduce the number of road closures needed.

A590 overnight road resurfacing - starting Monday 19 February

We will be strengthening and resurfacing the eastbound carriageway between Low Levens and Brettargh Holt roundabout later this month.

Work is expected to start on Monday 19 February 2024, taking five weeks to complete.

From Wednesday 21 February, we will need to close the A590 eastbound between Levens Lane Interchange and Brettargh Holt Roundabout overnight (8pm to 6am) to safely resurface the route. During the closures, A590 eastbound traffic will be diverted via the A6 to junction 35 of the M6.

During the day, the A590 will be open to traffic but operate under a 40mph speed restriction for the duration of the work.

Diversion routes will be clearly signed. Access for emergency services and buses will be maintained at all times. Pedestrians and cyclists will also be safely escorted through any closures.

Safety improvements - starting Wednesday 13 March

The A590 between Brettargh Holt roundabout and its junction with the M6 will benefit from layout changes designed to improve safety and reduce delays for road users.

Work will start on Wednesday 13 March to install new signs and road markings at junction 36 of the M6, helping traffic on their approach to the roundabout.

New road layout designs on the A590 will allow both lanes on the eastbound carriageway to take a right turn onto the M6, reducing queues at peak times.

Our work requires ten nights of overnight closures over a three-week period.

At the A590 junction with Foulshaw Moss, we’ll install new road signs so road users can see the turn earlier, helping drivers make safer decisions. Our signage work will take place under two-way traffic lights, ensuring the A590 can remain open to traffic.

Ash dieback management – starting Thursday 8 February

Regrettably, surveys by our specialists have found many Ash trees suffering from Ash dieback disease around junction 36 of the M6. A large proportion are now dead or dying and pose a potential safety risk, leaving us with no alternative other than to make them safe or remove them.

Ash dieback is a highly destructive fungal disease of Ash trees. It causes leaf loss, dead branches and canopy decline in infected trees.

Tree management work will take place from Thursday 8 February to Saturday 9 March. To safely carry out our work, we’ll need to close two lanes and the exit slip road of the M6 southbound at junction 36 (Crooklands). Most of the closures will take place overnight (8pm to 6am), but some lane closures are required during the day (9.30am to 3.30pm).

What are we doing to improve safety on the A590 between Greenodd and Ayside?

Our proposed measures consist of alterations to road markings and extra traffic signs at Newby Bridge garage, removal of the highway boundary hedge approaching the garage, changes to the signed speed limit at three locations and installation of average speed cameras (ASCs). We are looking to start delivery of these works in August, subject to final approval of the foundation design for the ASCs.

Changes to the signed speed limit will be at the following locations:

• A590 Greenodd to Roan Wood: reduction to 50mph from existing 60mph
• A590 Haverthwaite Dual Carriageway: reduction to 60mph from existing 70mph
• A590 Newby Bridge to Canny Hill junction: reduction to 40mph from existing 60mph. This section includes Newby Bridge garage

Why are we doing this work?

During our discussions about road safety with the former Assistant Chief Constable of Cumbria Police, Andy Slattery in December 2019 and January 2020, he highlighted the section of the A590 between Greenodd and Ayside of the A590 to be their number one priority for road safety in South Cumbria at that time.

He also advised that the police support installation of ASCs along this part of the A590 because there are no suitable locations where they can safely monitor and enforce signed speed limits – whether existing or new.

Earlier this year, the Cumbria Road Safety Partnership identified the A590 Newby Bridge area as one of their “main hotspots” as they aim for zero road deaths by 2040.

Our research predicts that the measures described will save on average 1.79 personal injury accidents a year. We calculated this saving by applying figures supported by research carried out by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents into the effectiveness of the type of measures to be implemented on A590.

When will we be carrying out our work?

The works are being carried out overnight between 8pm and 6am to minimise disruption to motorists. The signing works are planned to be complete by the end of September, with the installation of the average speed cameras starting once the sign works are complete.

Why are the speed limits changing?

This is an interim measure until funding is available to carry out wider improvements to improve the alignment of the A590 and reduce the safety concerns. By lowering the speed limit and installing safety cameras we aim to target a minority of motorists who choose to drive at inappropriate speeds on this section of the road.

When will the speed limits change?

The speed limits change on the 2 October 2023.

The permanent traffic regulation orders changing the signed limit will be made shortly, following statutory procedures, and will come into force when construction of the new speed limit signs have been completed.

National Highways is investing more than £500,000 in improvements to the A590 this autumn. We’ll be resurfacing the eastbound carriageway between the Meathop roundabout and where the dual carriageway ends near Witherslack.

We’ll also be installing new signs and road markings around Meathop roundabout and a new footpath to connect the communities around Witherslack to the BP petrol station, also known as Greystones.

These upgrades will make journeys safer and more reliable for those visiting and living in the area.

Phase one – preparatory works – Monday 18 September to Sunday 1 October 2023

Setting up our roadworks, you’ll see our staff installing signs and road markings for the main phase of our scheme delivery.

Lane closures on both eastbound and westbound carriageways will regularly be in effect. We will also occasionally need to use traffic lights overnight, between 8pm and 6am, to hold road users at roadworks before our staff can safely escort drivers through under convoy.

A small section of the Meathop roundabout will also be closed for one night. A signed diversion route will direct road users to their next turning point along the A590.

Phase two – resurfacing and footpath construction – Monday 2 October to Thursday 26 October

Our main improvement works will start in early October and require a phased closure of the A590 eastbound carriageway near Meathop for approximately three weeks.

A contraflow system will operate on the westbound carriageway of the A590, allowing one lane of traffic to travel in both directions. Access to the BP petrol station and properties adjoining the A590 will be maintained during the day.

During this period, there will be restrictions to the Witherslack and Ulpha junctions with signed local diversion routes.

Between Tuesday 17 and Thursday 26 October, we’ll be working overnight, from 10pm to 6am. During this period, the Witherslack junction will be fully closed overnight and there will be an impact on the Stagecoach bus service, which will be advertised.

Abnormal loads (vehicles over 2.9m wide) will not be permitted to travel through this section of the A590 when contraflow traffic measures are in place.

Phase three – removal of roadworks – Friday 27 October to Tuesday 7 November

During the final two weeks of our improvement works we’ll remove the contraflow traffic measures and reopen the eastbound carriageway. We’ll also be installing new signs and road markings under a set of temporary lane closures and traffic lights.

There is also a need to close the B5277 between Meathop Roundabout and the Meathop junction for two overnight shifts. Signed local diversion routes will be in place.

We expect our work to be completed by mid-November. However, while we always aim to work to schedule, unforeseen circumstances such as severe weather conditions may mean slight changes occur at short notice.

National Highways is replacing a stone wall along the A590 Ulverston Road near Swarthmoor that has fallen into disrepair.

Not acting to ensure the integrity of the wall will risk the smooth operation of the network and the safety of road users.

The replacement wall will be built from a modular block wall design, in keeping with its existing stone style. This innovative form of construction will reduce the need for maintenance on this section of the A590 in the future.

Our essential renewal work will take approximately six weeks and will start on Monday 6 November, completing by the end of the year.

To undertake the work safely, two-way traffic lights will be required overnight, from 9pm to 6am, to control traffic along a 100-metre-long section of the A590, near Dykelands, to the north of Swarthmoor.

We always aim to work to our schedule, but unforeseen circumstances such as severe weather conditions may mean slight changes occur at short notice. We’d like to apologise in advance for any disturbance this improvement work may cause.

We'll soon be resurfacing a section of the A595 near Egremont and undertaking some drainage repairs to reduce flooding on the A595 near Iron Bridge junction.

This work will maintain safety and improve journeys for road users.

Our essential repair work starts on Monday 4 September 2023 and will take approximately four weeks to complete.

We’ll be working overnight, between 7pm and 5am, when there is less traffic on the road. During the day the A595 will be open as usual.

Drivers travelling through the roadworks overnight will do so under convoy working. This will see vehicles temporarily held at traffic lights on the A595 before a shuttle vehicle can safely escort them through our roadworks at a restricted speed limit of 10mph.

Our work will occasionally restrict access between the A595 and side roads overnight. A local diversion route will always be signposted.

While we always aim to work to our schedule, unforeseen circumstances such as severe weather conditions may mean slight changes occur at short notice.

We’re investing more than £1.7 million repairing the A66 at Redhills near Penrith. During this time, we’ll be resurfacing both the east and westbound carriageways between Skirsgill Interchange (junction 40 of the M6) and Newbiggin junction.

Additionally, we’ll be upgrading the electronic message sign near Rheged and improving the crossroads that provides access to Newbiggin and Stainton from the A66.

Road markings will also be added to the gaps in the central reservation, providing enhanced guidance for drivers and reducing the risk of incidents between vehicles. Advanced warning signs on both the east and westbound approaches to the junction will advise of the weight restriction on local authority roads.

Road closure information (updated 19 March)

To complete our essential work safely, we will need to close the A66 between Skirsgill Interchange and Newbiggin junction on a number of nights.

To reduce disruption, we'll only be closing one side of the A66 at a time. Please note, due to bad weather there has been some changes to our original programme. Overnight closures will take place on:

• Wednesday 20 to Monday 25 March: A66 Newbiggin to M6 junction 40 eastbound closed - Monday to Thursday 8pm to 6am and Friday 9pm to 6am
• Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 March: M6 junction 40 to A66 Newbiggin westbound closed - Tuesday 9pm to 6am, Wednesday 8pm to 6am
• Monday 15 April: A66 Newbiggin to M6 junction 40 eastbound closed from 8pm to 6am. The closure will be reduced in length meaning Rheged roundabout remains open

There will be no roadworks or closures in place over Easter weekend. When required there’ll also be daytime lane closures and a reduced speed limit of 40mph throughout our work.

During any closures, diversion routes will be clearly signed. Road users will go through Greystoke and Pallethill using the B5288, before picking up the A592 in Penrith and rejoining the A66. The same will occur in reverse.

Please note that bus services won’t be affected by our work and will run as normal.

In October we'll be starting work to resurface a section of the A66 in Cumbria, between the Threlkeld junction and the start of the eastbound layby after Greta Bridge near Keswick.

Our work is due to start on Monday 9 October 2023, taking around five weeks to complete. The work involves resurfacing and we’ll also be replacing road markings and road studs.

During the first week of work, we'll be working Monday to Friday. After that, the surfacing will take place Sunday to Thursday, with work on road markings to be carried out on Friday night. 

We’ll be carrying out our work overnight when traffic volumes are lower, between 8pm and 6am.

To further reduce disruption, we’ll be working under a convoy system. This involves vehicles being held at traffic lights before being escorted through the roadworks by a shuttle vehicle at a restricted speed limit of 10mph.

The system allows us to work on sections of the road at a time, meaning we can keep the road open and traffic moving.

On a small number of occasions, we’ll need to close some of the side roads onto the A66, between Threlkeld junction and Greta Bridge. A suitable local diversion route will be clearly signed when any closure is in place.

Additionally, when we’re working between the Threlkeld junctions, we may need to close one junction to prevent ‘rat running’ through the village.

The programme is subject to change should weather conditions not be suitable to carry out the work. We’d like to apologise for any inconvenience our work may cause you.

Update - 20 November 2023

Due to poor weather preventing scheduled resurfacing works from taking place in November, we will need further overnight closures on the A66 between Sandford junction and Brough junction:

• Tuesday 21 – Thursday 23 November, from 8pm to 6am

The route will be open but operate under convoy working on Friday 24 November and the first half of the following week. Convoy working will see vehicles temporarily held at traffic lights on the A66 before a shuttle vehicle can safely escort them through our roadworks at a restricted speed limit of 10mph.

Update - 31 October 2023

Due to safety issues identified on site, we had no other option but to postpone our scheduled programme of work in September.

To complete all remaining work safely, further overnight closures between Sandford junction and Brough junction will be required in November, followed by five nights of roadworks where convoy working will be in effect.

Access to some properties will be affected by the closures and permits will be hand delivered to those who will require assistance with accessing their properties.

The A66 between Sandford junction and Brough junction will be closed:

• Sunday 12 to Thursday 16 November 2023 - from 8pm and 6am.

Should bad weather prevent us from resurfacing the route on any of these nights, contingency plans for additional overnight closures will be advertised on road signs locally.

After the closures, we will complete the remainder of our resurfacing work under a convoy system. This means that for five nights from Monday 20 November, between 8pm to 6am, vehicles will be temporarily held at traffic lights on the A66 before a shuttle vehicle can safely escort them through our roadworks at a restricted speed limit of 10mph.

During our roadworks, alternative routes on local roads may be available to gain access to properties.

We apologise for any inconvenience our essential repair work may cause and thank you for continued patience.

Update - 25 September 2023

Our work to resurface the A66 between Warcop and Brough is progressing well.

Ahead of installing the new strengthened road material, we’ve laid a temporary surface. We’re working in this way as an overnight closure does not allow enough time for the new material to cool and set.

From Monday 25 September for four weeks, we’ll be working under a convoy system between 8pm and 6am, Monday to Friday only.

This will see vehicles held at traffic lights before being escorted through the roadworks by a shuttle vehicle at a restricted speed limit of 10mph.

The system enables us to work on sections of the road at a time giving the material time to set and means we can keep the road open, reducing disruption for drivers.

Ahead of finishing our work in early November, we will need to put a few overnight road closures in place. The closures are required as the road is too narrow in places to safely work under a convoy system.

We’ll be announcing the closures dates in due course via this webpage, our social media channels and in the press.

We had originally planned to complete our work by the end of October 2023, but due to wet weather have had to extend the programme.

Thank you for your continued patience and apologies for any inconvenience our essential work has caused.

While we always aim to complete roadworks to schedule, unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather may mean slight changes happen.

Update - 6 September 2023

Unfortunately, due to operational issues that were deemed a risk to safety, we had to cancel three nights of resurfacing works on the A66 scheduled for Tuesday 5, Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 September.

Previously announced closures will still take place from Sunday 10 to Thursday 14 September 2023.

The cancelled nights of work have been rescheduled to take place from Sunday 17 to Tuesday 19 September 2023, between 8pm and 6am each night.

We apologise for any disruption our roadworks have caused and thank you for your ongoing patience while this essential maintenance work is completed.

Update - 14 August 2023

We will soon be repairing the road surface on the A66 between Sandford junction and Brough junction.

We're spending more than £2m on strengthening and resurfacing the road, ensuring everyone can travel on the A66 safely and reliably.

Our work starts on Tuesday 29 August 2023 and will take approximately six weeks to complete.

During this six-week period, we will need to close two sections of the A66 over ten nights to safely resurface the road.

Full carriageway closures on the A66 between Sandford junction and Brough junction will take place overnight, between 8pm and 6am, over the following dates:

• Sunday 3 to Thursday 7 September 2023 - five consecutive nights

• Sunday 10 to Thursday 14 September 2023 - five consecutive nights

The only diversion route suitable for heavy goods vehicles during the full closures is via the A1, A69 and M6.

Diversion routes will be clearly signposted but smaller vehicles may choose to use local network roads around the closure points, leaving the A66 at Sandford junction or the Brough junction with the A685.

At other times during our six-week maintenance scheme, the A66 will remain open to traffic but operate under a convoy system between 8pm and 6am. This will see vehicles temporarily held at traffic lights on the A66 before a shuttle vehicle can safely escort drivers through our roadworks at a restricted speed limit of 10mph.

In total, we will need four weeks of overnight convoy working, between Monday and Friday nights only.

We are improving safety at the A663 Broadway and Middleton Road junction, near St Herbert’s RC Primary School in Chadderton.

The scheme involves widening the pavement and some of the road islands to increase capacity. We’ll also be installing new guardrail, optimising traffic signals and putting tactile paving in place to help visually impaired people.

Once completed our essential work will improve safety for schoolchildren, walkers, cyclists and drivers.

To reduce customer disruption, we'll be carrying out the majority of our work during the day. In addition, we’ll also be following industry best practice to reduce noise as much as possible.

Our main working hours will be 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday, from Monday 24 July until Tuesday 31 October 2023. Some overnight work may also be required on occasion. 

We always aim to complete roadworks as planned, but unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather may mean slight changes happen.

While we will do everything in our power to reduce disruption as much as possible, we’d like to apologise in advance for any disturbance this work may cause you. Thank you for bearing with us.

We will be carrying out essential safety improvements along a section of the M53 between Ellesmere Port and Stoak in Cheshire.

Our work involves replacing the safety barriers in the central reservation and sections of the barriers along the verge that have reached the end of their serviceable life. This will mean improved safety for drivers using this part of the network and less barrier maintenance work in future.

The barrier renewals will be carried out in two phases, the first to replace barriers along the northbound and southbound carriageways, and a second phase to replace barriers in the central reservation.

Phase one

We will start by installing a temporary safety barrier on the hard shoulder of the M53, ensuring the safety of our staff and road users while our work is underway.

Installing the temporary barrier will require the overnight closure of the M53 southbound carriageway from junctions 10 to 11 on Friday 24 November 2023, between the hours of 9pm and 6am.

From Saturday 25 November, lane 1 of the M53 southbound exit slip road to the M56 at junction 11 will be permanently closed until mid-December. The slip road and access to the M56 from the M53 will remain open.

There will be additional lane closures required occasionally overnight and the installation of a temporary safety barrier on the northbound carriageway will require a overnight northbound carriageway closure on 3 January 2024.

Phase two

In the New Year, we will begin renewing safety barriers in the central reservation. The motorway will remain open during our work but for the safety of road users and our staff narrow lanes and a speed limit of 50mph will be in effect on the M53 between junctions 9 and 11.

To install our roadworks, we’ll need to close the M53 southbound carriageway between junctions 9 and 11 overnight on Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 January, between the hours of 9pm and 6am. A northbound carriageway closure will be required overnight on Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 January 2024.

Our £7m programme of essential safety works, which includes drainage repairs, is scheduled to complete by the end of August 2024.

We’re asking drivers to follow the clearly signed diversion routes when overnight closures are in place and to plan journeys in advance to avoid any congestion at peak hours.

Our work can be noisy but we will be following industry best practice to reduce it as much as possible. Nonetheless, we’d like to apologise in advance for any disturbance this may cause you.

We're resurfacing the east and westbound carriageways of the M57 between junctions 2 and 3, near Prescot.

The work will take place on both sides of the carriageway and includes replacing road markings. To reduce disruption on drivers, we’ll only be working on one side of the motorway at a time.

Work is due to start on Monday 4 March and we’re expecting to complete it by Saturday 11 May 2024.

We’ll be working overnight from Monday to Friday, between 8pm and 5am (extending to 7am on Saturday mornings).

Occasionally we will need lane 1 closures to remain in place on Saturday mornings until 11am, so the new road surface can harden.

When there is northbound lane 1 Saturday closures, we’ll also be closing the entry slip at junction 2 of the M57. More information on the Saturday closures is outlined below.

To safely carry out our work, overnight carriageway closures (8pm to 5am) between junction 2 and 3 of the M57 will be required. To ensure journeys are maintained, clearly signed diversion routes will be in operation during any closures.

We'll soon be renewing five signs on the M57 and M58 motorways. Four signs for renewal are located on the M57 and one on the M58.

The signs need to be replaced as they’ve reached the end of their serviceable life.

Work will start on Tuesday 29 August and will take approximately five weeks in total.

The five weeks of work will be spread over three months, and we'll be working overnight from Monday to Friday, between the hours of 8pm and 6am.

A full closure of the M57 southbound exit slip road to Tarbock Island and the M62 eastbound exit slip road is required overnight on both Tuesday 29 August 2023.

Further carriageway closures will be required occasionally during the scheme’s delivery. Closures will always take place overnight, when traffic levels are at their lowest, and diversion routes will be clearly signed.

Our diversion routes have been agreed in consultation with the local authority and emergency services.

Overnight lane closures will be required to keep our staff safe on the M57 from Tuesday 29 August to Tuesday 12 September 2023, between the hours of 8pm and 6am.

An overnight lane closure will also be required on the M58 on Tuesday 12 September.

Our work to renew signs on the M57 will continue from Monday 6 November for a further two weeks.

Background

The River Dane bridge was built in 1962. It is an 85-metre-long structure that carries the M6 motorway over the River Dane between junctions 18 and 19, towards Holmes Chapel in Cheshire.

The piers supporting the bridge have weakened and need essential repair works.

The scheme

The works will involve strengthening the piers, replacing the concrete with a hard-wearing material that will bring the bridge back up to current standards.

We will use hydro demolition methods to remove older concrete and carry out phased concrete repairs to all the piers supporting the bridge.

The work will be done below the motorway level. As a result, no traffic management will be in place on the road above.

Once completed, the work will ensure the safety of the bridge for the next 50 years.

Update - 7 November 2023

We have completed waterproofing and resurfacing work on all four lanes of the M6 between junction 32 and 33, allowing us to remove all remaining lane closures from the motorway.

However, during our resurfacing work, we discovered previously unrecorded power cables buried in the verge.

Further survey work is ongoing and electrical engineers will need to restrict power supply to the cabling before any waterproofing work on the verge's surface can take place. 

Further lane 1 closures on the M6 will occasionally be required in both a southbound and northbound direction, between junctions 32 and 33, while we resolve this matter and conclude our essential renewal work. Please follow traffic management signposts when in place.

Scheme overview

We'll be carrying out essential repair works on the M6 northbound carriageway between junction 32 and junction 33 this autumn.

A short section of the M6, which passes over Stewart's Wood bridge, needs waterproofing and resurfacing to ensure journeys remain safe and reliable.

Work will start on Sunday 3 September and is scheduled to complete by 15 November 2023.

This scheme will use the hard shoulder as a running lane. During the day, two lanes of the northbound carriageway will be closed and two lanes will remain open to traffic.

Overnight the extent of the closures will extend to three lanes, with one lane remaining open to traffic. This running lane will either be the hard shoulder or lane 3, depending on which lanes we are working in.

These measures will ensure the continued safety of road users and our staff during the work. The lanes that remain in use will be narrower than usual and subject to a 50mph speed limit which is reduced to 40mph whilst driving through the working area.

The majority of our works will be done under lane closures with one lane remaining open to traffic.

However, we will need to close the northbound carriageway to switch traffic management and running lanes. The next planned full overnight closures are Saturday 14 and Wednesday 25 October.

When overnight closures are in effect, northbound traffic should follow the signed diversion route: leaving the M6 at junction 32, onto junction 1 of the M55, then onto the A6 (Preston Lancaster Road) for 12 miles before re-joining the M6 at junction 33.

Daytime traffic control measures and speed restrictions on the route will be removed from the morning of Thursday 26 October 2023.

Lane closures on the south and northbound carriageways will continue to be needed overnight, between 8pm and 6am, until Tuesday 14 November, as we finish our work on waterproofing the verges.

We always aim to work to our schedule, but unforeseen circumstances such as severe weather conditions may mean slight changes occur at short notice.

We are delivering essential upgrades to the centre reserve barrier on the M6 between junctions 43 and 44.

The existing barriers along this stretch of the M6 have reached the end of their serviceable life. We will be spending £3.5m on upgraded steel barriers in an effort to improve safety for road users and reduce the need for unplanned motorway closures in future.

Work on these essential upgrades will start on Monday 15 January 2024 and take approximately six months to complete.

We’ll be working during the daytime, but we will occasionally need to work overnight to install traffic management measures such as temporary safety barriers.

To keep the travelling public and our staff safe while barrier work is underway, we will need to close lane 3 on both carriageways of the M6. A 60mph speed restriction on this section of the M6 will also be in effect for the duration of the scheme.

We will temporarily need to make use of the hard shoulder to carry traffic at the start and end of the scheme so we can safely install traffic management measures.

To install temporary safety barriers ahead of work starting, we will occasionally need to close slip roads on and off the M6 at junctions 43 and 44 overnight. Please follow clearly signed diversion routes during the overnight closures.

During our works, vehicles over 2m in width will be banned from overtaking in lane 2 to ensure journeys through our roadworks remain safe.

Due to the impact of setting up and removing traffic management measures, roadworks will remain in place over the Easter and May Bank Holiday weekends.

We always aim to complete roadworks as planned, but unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather may mean slight changes happen. We’d like to apologise in advance for any disturbance our work may cause you.

Update - 11 August 2023

Due to poor weather and asset conditions, our essential upgrades to safety barriers on the M65 between junctions 7 and 10 will now complete in early October 2023.

When we remove the temporary steel barrier, between junctions 7 and 10, on Thursday 24 August, the 50mph speed restrictions currently in place will no longer be in effect.

We will occasionally need to close the hard shoulder while our safety work is underway, and road users should also expect a very small number of carriageway closures for technology installation works that cannot be safely undertaken under lane closures alone. Diversion routes will be signposted.

We apologise for the further delay in completing these essential safety works and for any disruption our roadworks cause. Thank you for bearing with us.

Update - 9 May 2023

Work continues on replacing safety barriers on the M65 which have reached the end of their serviceable life.

Unfortunately, due to technical delays and adverse weather, our programme will now complete on Thursday 20 July 2023.

To deliver the remainder of the barrier upgrades in an orderly and safe manner, we have to close the eastbound carriageway of the M65 between junctions 8 and 10 overnight, from 8pm to 6am, until Friday 16 July 2023.

Please follow the signed diversion routes when overnight closures are in effect.

We apologise for the delay in completing these essential repair works and for any disruption our closures cause. Thank you for bearing with us.

Update - 4 April 2023

We are undertaking essential repair work on the eastbound exit slip road at junction 10 of the M65 that connects road users to Burnley Barracks Interchange and the A671.

Our work involves replacing parts of the safety barrier on the slip road that has reached the end of its serviceable life. This will ensure the safety of drivers using this part of the network over the long term.

To safely carry out these repairs we will need to close the eastbound exit slip road at M65 junction 10 over two separate weekends.

• 9pm Friday 14 April to 6am 17 April 2023.

• 9pm Friday 28 April to 6am Monday 1 May 2023.

We’re asking drivers to follow the clearly signed diversion routes during these closures.

Our work can be noisy, but we will be following industry best practice to reduce it as much as possible. We’d like to apologise in advance for any disturbance this may cause you.

We always aim to work to schedule. However, unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather mean slight changes can occur at short notice.

Update - 1 October 2023

This month we will be starting essential work between junction 7 (Hyndburn Interchange) and 10 (Burnley Barracks Interchage) of the M65.

Our work involves replacing parts of the safety barrier in the central reservation, as the structure has reached its end of serviceable life. The scheme will ensure the safety of drivers over the long term by reducing the risk of vehicle crossover.

To safely carry out these improvements we need to install traffic management on the M65 between junctions 7 and 10. To put this in place there will be four overnight carriageway closures (9pm to 6am) in both directions from Monday 10 to Thursday 13 October 2022.  

We’re asking drivers to follow the clearly signed diversion routes during these closures.

The repairs on the safety barrier will start on Monday 10 October and we’re aiming to finish our work by the end of May 2023.

For the safety of workers and road users, there will be sections of temporary steel lane barriers and a 50mph speed limit throughout the scheme. To reduce the disruption on motorists, we’ll be carrying out our work overnight (9pm to 6am) when traffic levels are lowest.