THE southbound carriageway of the M6 near Preston will be reduced to two lanes as work on important bridge repairs nears completion. 

The £1.7 million project is delivering a permanent repair to recurring potholes in the motorway carriageways on Whittingham Lane and Stubbins Lane bridges between junction 32 and junction 33. 

To complete the repairs on Whittingham Lane bridge, which carries the motorway over a local road, National Highways engineers will be working under the bridge for eight days from Tuesday (March 14).  This work will require the closure of lane one around the clock f until Wednesday March 22 with the potential for some congestion at peak times. 

This part of the work also requires Whittingham Lane, under the motorway, to be closed around the clock until Saturday April 1 except at weekends. This closure started yesterday (Monday 6 March).

Work to refurbish the two bridge decks includes 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 is also being constructed on each bridge alongside new surfacing, white lining and road studs.