A FIFTY mile per hour speed limit will be temporarily put in place on part of the M6 next month. 

This is because National Highways is covering important wear and tear repairs on bridges carrying the M6 over local roads between junctions 32-33.

The £1.7 million National Highways project will tackle recurring potholes in the motorway carriageways on Whittingham Lane and Stubbins Lane. 

National Highways project manager Frank Jamieson said: “Given their location between junctions 32 and 33 we’ve taken the opportunity to do the two bridges at the same time – limiting the disruption of roadworks to motorway users.

“We will be closing carriageways for this work overnight or at weekends but there’s a very good diversion along the A6 between Broughton near junction 32 and Galgate at junction 33.”

The Mail: The M6 crossing Whittingham LaneThe M6 crossing Whittingham Lane

The two bridge deck refurbishment schemes will include full re-waterproofing, concrete repairs and the replacement of bridge joints – mechanisms which allow the bridges to expand and contract safely during changes in the weather. A new central reservation safety barrier will also be constructed on each bridge alongside new surfacing, white lining and road studs.

The month-long project starts on Wednesday September 7 and will be completed in early October. In detail the planned closures include:

  • Full - 9.00 pm to 5.00 am – overnight closures of the northbound carriageway between junction 32 and junction 33 on Wednesday 7, Thursday 8 and Monday 26 September.
  • Four consecutive weekend closures of the southbound carriageway between junction 33 to junction 32 from 9.00 pm each Friday to 5.00 am the following Monday from Friday 9 September.
  • Short sections of 9.00 pm to 5.00 am overnight lane closures along both the northbound and southbound carriageways in the vicinity of the bridges during the week.
  • A single weekend closure of both Whittingham Lane near Broughton and Stubbins Lane near Garstang under the motorway.