Huddersfield people travelling on the M62 to Manchester Airport and into Greater Manchester or the west coast have been warned of complete motorway closures in September.

The motorway will be totally shut for two weekends for the first time in its history just 15 miles from Huddersfield over the border in Greater Manchester.

It’s due to Network Rail rebuilding a 42-metre-long, 2,000 tonne railway bridge that takes trains over the M62 in Castleton near Rochdale. The closures are on the eastbound carriageway between Junction 18 and Junction 20 and the westbound carriageway between Junction 19 and Junction 20.

Both carriageways will be shut from 9pm on Friday, September 6 to 6am on Monday, September 9 and again from 9pm on Friday, September 20 to 6am on Monday, September 23.

From Monday, September 9 to Friday, September 20 the motorway will also be shut every night between Junction 19 and Junction 20 from 9pm to 6am.

It means anyone aiming to travel on the M62 needs to use alternative routes … but they will probably also be very busy so it’s best to leave a lot more time for your journey.

The reason the work needs doing is that the bridge, known as Castleton bridge, carries a vital part of the UK’s energy supply across the country with freight trains carrying material to and from Drax power station in Selby.

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

Last month, two 42 metre, 70 tonne steel beams were delivered to the work site during an overnight closure of the M62. The bridge will be built there ahead of its installation and the project’s cost is £22m.

During the road closure, engineers will dismantle the old bridge and take it away on the M62 during the first weekend. The new bridge will then be installed during the second weekend.

Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content and copywriting.

 

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