Lanes to be closed on M6 at Thelwall Viaduct for emergency repairs

National Highways is carrying out a temporary repair to a defective bridge joint between 9pm on Saturday night, April 9, and 5pm on Sunday afternoon, April 10.

The work requires the closure of three lanes on the southbound carriageway – leaving only one lane open to traffic.

The bridge joint is across two lanes, very close to where drivers join the southbound M6 from the slip road at junction 21, so the slip road will also be closed.

Bridge joints are mechanisms in the carriageway which allow the bridge deck to expand and contract safely with changes in the weather.

This weekend's work will allow National Highways to plan a full repair at a later date, which is likely to require a full overnight closure of the motorway over the viaduct.

The defective bridge joint along the southbound M6 on Thelwall Viaduct

Carrying out the temporary repair this weekend will also reduce the risk of sudden, unplanned lane closures at peak times.

National Highways has planned this weekend’s work to minimise inconvenience to drivers heading back from the Grand National at Aintree.

Drivers heading from Merseyside to Manchester for the Manchester City and Liverpool Premier League football match should not be affected by the lane closures.

Those planning to use the southbound M6 between junction 21 and junction 20 should expect congestion when the work is taking place, especially during the day on Sunday.

Drivers passing the roadworks on Sunday should note that roadworkers will have been working overnight and will have left the site to allow concrete around the repair to set properly before lanes can safely re-open. 

National Highways is advising drivers to check traffic conditions along the motorway before setting out and delay their journeys to choose an alternative route should this wish to avoid congestion.