M6 Cumbria weekend closures in January - latest
A series of public information events in communities in and around Penrith in Cumbria is continuing throughout the festive period ahead of two weekend closures of the M6 in the new year.
The M6 will be closed for the first two weekends of January - 8pm on each Friday to 5am each Monday – to allow Network Rail to demolish and replace Clifton Bridge which carries the West Coast Mainline over the motorway between junction 39 at Shap and junction 40 at Penrith. The M6 will be closed between junction 39 and junction 40 in both directions during the two weekends with a number of separate local and longer distance diversions in place.
Alongside Network Rail, National Highways will be issuing regular information ahead of the weekend closures and some 23,000 leaflets are being delivered to local residents with further details of diversions and other arrangements.
Local residents can find out more at a series of public information/meet the team drop-in events which will be attended by project managers from both National Highways and Network Rail.
The remaining dates and venues for the events include:
Tuesday 23, Wednesday 24, Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 December, 9.30am to 5pm - Rheged Centre, Redhills, Penrith, CA11 0DQ
• Monday 22 December, 10am to 7pm - Kirkby Stephen Methodist Church, High Street, Kirkby Stephen, CA17 4SG
Steve Mason, National Highways’ programme delivery manager, said:
“We are working hard on a traffic management plan which will keep diverted traffic out of local villages and ensure everyone sticks to the official diversion routes. At the same time we want to ensure local people and services can access their own communities and experience as little disruption as possible.
“These public information events are an opportunity to find out more about the project and ask any questions about traffic management and other arrangements for the two weekend motorway closures.”
Keeping traffic on the key diversion routes and out of local villages is one of the key principles behind National Highways’ traffic management plan for the two weekend motorway closures.
To minimise the impact on local communities three main diversion routes for through traffic will be in place with southbound and northbound traffic using totally different routes:
• Northbound drivers using the A6 from junction 39 and rejoining the M6 at junction 40 via Kemplay roundabout
• Southbound HGVs leaving the M6 at junction 40 and being diverted onto the A1(M) at Scotch Corner via the eastbound A66
• Other southbound drivers leaving at junction 40 diverted along the eastbound A66 to Brough and joining the southbound A685 to rejoin the M6 at junction 38 at Tebay via Kirkby Stephen
To help keep diverted traffic on the move around junction 40, special arrangements will be in place at Skirsgill and Kemplay roundabouts with the M6 and A6 junctions respectively.
National Highways will be working with Cumbria Police throughout both weekends to minimise disruption on local communities and keep people safe on the county’s road network.
More information about the project can be found at National Highways and Network Rail websites.
Notes to Editors
National Highways is the wholly government-owned company responsible for modernising, maintaining and operating England’s motorways and major A roads.
Real-time traffic information for England’s motorways and major A roads is available via the Traffic England website, local and national radio travel bulletins, electronic road signs and mobile apps. Local Twitter services are also available.
For further information please contact National Highways' press office (24hrs) on 0844 693 1448 and select the most appropriate option:
Option 1: National enquiries (9am to 5.30pm) and out of hours for urgent enquiriesOption 2: North West (9am to 5.30pm)Option 3: Yorkshire and North East (9am to 5.30pm)Option 4: West Midlands (9am to 5.30pm)Option 5: East Midlands (9am to 5.30pm)Option 6: East (9am to 5.30pm)Option 7: South East (9am to 5.30pm)Option 8: South West (9am to 5.30pm)
