The M62 will be shut again all this weekend just over the border from Huddersfield which will have a big impact on people driving to Manchester and Liverpool airports and anywhere in Greater Manchester or Lancashire.

The motorway will be closed in both directions just 15 miles from Huddersfield at junction 19 due to Network Rail replacing a railway bridge that takes trains over the M62 in Castleton near Rochdale. It will be shut from 9pm on Friday, September 20 to 6am on Monday, September 23.

The old bridge was demolished when the motorway was first closed over the weekend of September 7 and 8 and this weekend the new one will be put in place. It has already been delivered to the site and partially constructed there.

In the run-up to this final stage of the bridge replacement the motorway is already closed every night between Junction 19 and Junction 20 from 9pm to 6am while the bridge supports are put in place.

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 bridge that is being replaced, known as Castleton bridge, carries a vital part of the UK’s energy supply across the country with freight trains taking 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.”

Two 42 metre, 70 tonne steel beams have been delivered to the work site and the project’s cost is £22m.

There are also some overnight closures on the M62 between Huddersfield and Brighouse due to resurfacing work with the eastbound carriageway between junction 24 at Ainley Top and junction 25 closed on Monday to Wednesday nights (September 16 to 18).

The eastbound entry slip road at Brighouse, junction 25 will be closed overnight this Thursday and Friday, September 19 and 20.

Drivers are urged to check traffic conditions before setting out on journeys. Live traffic information is always available at www.trafficengland.com or from National Highways’ 24-7 customer contact centre at 0300 123 5000.

Updates will also be posted to @HighwaysNWest and @HighwaysYorks – the National Highways’ regional feeds on X.

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.