Major motorway shut over two weekends as work begins tonight

A major GBP22m railway bridge upgrade[1] will see a section of the M62[2] shut over two weekends with work beginning tonight. Two weekend closures will take place, starting from 9pm on Friday (September 6) with the eastbound carriageway closed between junction 18 and junction 20. The westbound carriageway will also be closed at the same times between junction 20 and junction 19.

These sections of the motorway will reopen at 6am on Monday (September 9) but close again at the same times in two weeks. Motorists are advised to avoid this section of the M62 during the two weekends by delaying journeys or planning alternative routes. The railway will also be closed from today (September 6) until the early morning of September 25 between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale[4] with rail replacement buses in operation.

Passengers are warned that journey times will be significantly longer than usual. The bridge, known as Castleton bridge, carries 6 per cent of the UK’s energy supply across the country, as freight trains carry material to and from Drax power station in Selby. During the road closure, engineers will dismantle the old bridge and take it away on the M62.

The new bridge will then be installed during the second weekend. Network Rail is investing more than GBP22m to rebuild the bridge. It will be the first time in living memory that the M62 will be closed over two weekends, according to Network Rail.

Olivia Boland, Network Rail sponsor, said: “The replacement of Castleton bridge is essential for the safe running of our railway, and crucial to the country’s economy as 6 per cent of the UK’s energy supply relies on the bridge for transportation.

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“I’d like to thank passengers and motorists for their understanding while we carry out this work. It is a unique project that sees weekend closures of the M62 for the first time. “Please, check before you travel on the M62 or between Manchester and Rochdale from 6 – 25 September 2024.”

Due to the timing of the work over weekends, different closure and diversion arrangements will be in place for each of the carriageways on the M62 with the eastbound route closed from junction 18 at the Simister Island interchange to junction 20 at Rochdale. The westbound carriageway will be closed between junction 20 at Rochdale and junction 19 at Heywood[5]. The eastbound diversion will use the strategic road network with drivers from the M66 or M60[6] clockwise at Simister Island travelling to junction 21 of the M60 at Chadderton[7] where they will then use the northbound A663 (Broadway) and northbound A627M to join the M62 at junction 20.

Drivers diverted off the westbound carriageway at junction 20 will be sent back onto the motorway via Middleton[8] using the southbound A627(M), southbound A664 Rochdale Road and northbound A6046 Hollin Lane, re-joining the M62 at junction 19.

References

1. ^ GBP22m railway bridge upgrade (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
2. ^ M62 (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
3. ^ Dad vanished after going to pub toilet – 56 years on, his family finally have answers (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
4. ^ Rochdale (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
5. ^ Heywood (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
6. ^ M60 (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
7. ^ Chadderton (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
8. ^ Middleton (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)