A significant 'once-in-a-lifetime' refurbishment is set to take place on one of the best-known sections of the M6. National Highways has plans to replace eight bridge deck structures along the stunning six-mile stretch of the M6 through Lune Gorge in Cumbria, between junction 37 and junction 38 at Tebay.
A bridge deck refers to the surface where vehicles travel and is a crucial structural component of the bridge itself. Seven of these bridges support the M6 as it winds through the gorge, while an eighth carries the local A685 road over the motorway near Roundthwaite.
These bridges range from 46 metres to 142 metres in length with heights varying between 5 metres and 17 metres. The Lune Gorge section of the motorway marked its 50th anniversary in 2020, but the bridges are now showing signs of age, prompting a major refurbishment programme.
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National Highways intends to commence some preparatory work next year, with the main construction work slated to begin in 2027. To keep local residents informed about the project, a series of 'meet the team' events will be held in 2025, building on months of engagement with local communities, including parish councils.
Khalid El-Rayes, National Highways' Senior Project Manager, commented: "The bridges that carry the M6 and A685 over the Lune Gorge in Cumbria are rapidly reaching the end of their serviceable life. When this section of the M6 was opened in 1970 no-one could have predicted the huge rise in domestic and commercial traffic, with thousands of cars, coaches, vans and HGVs now pounding the motorway daily.", reports .
"That huge volume of traffic has taken its toll, but this project will ensure this section of the M6 plays a key role in connecting businesses and communities across the north and beyond for decades to come."
National Highways has outlined plans to future-proof the M6, aiming to bolster safety and limit costs and disruptions from unplanned maintenance and emergency repairs due to wear and tear. Kier has been engaged as the lead contractor for delivering vital works, with design strategies aimed at minimising impacts on road users and local residents.
Ground investigations and surveys are underway, ensuring work proceeds smoothly, intending to keep traffic flowing efficiently while the renovations are executed, taking into account the concerns of communities nearby.
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Mr El-Rayes remarked, "Our delivery partners including Kier, RPS, Aecom, and Tony Gee, bring decades of experience in engineering and design, ensuring that we can deliver this project efficiently and safely. We've been working with them to develop design solutions to reduce the length of roadworks and number of closures.
"By using specialist equipment we'll be able to replace the bridge decks safely and more quickly than traditional construction methods. This will mean less disruption for motorists and surrounding communities."
National Highways noted that likely traffic management would entail a contraflow system on one side of the carriageway, utilising the hard shoulder to maintain two lanes of traffic flowing each way. This strategy will vacate the other carriageway, thus enabling concurrent work on all structures – greatly reducing the overall duration of the project.
A study by Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership released in the summer has deduced that such a contraflow system is expected to have a minimal effect on congestion, logistics, and tourism. Beyond managing the project and addressing local concerns, the team has also focused on delivering social value initiatives which are set to persist through to the refurbishment’s completion in winter 2030/2031.
The social value initiatives have encompassed a £10,000 contribution to Bendrigg Trust in Kendal, aimed at enhancing their outdoor space for disabled service users, including those with particularly complex needs. Additionally, another £10,000 donation has been made towards the construction of a 'Sharing Shed' at Shap Primary School, intended to store food and other donations for the local community.