MOTORISTS are being reminded to expect major disruption on the M6 this weekend due to further Thelwall Viaduct repairs.

National Highways will be carrying out permanent repairs to a bridge joint in a bid to reduce the need for unexpected closures for emergency work.

In April, damage to the bridge joint required lane and slip road closures for emergency repairs along the southbound carriageway just beyond the entry slip road at junction 21 for Woolston.

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

Work to install the new bridge joint, which straddles lanes two and three of the southbound carriageway, will be done between two full overnight closures.

This will begin at 9pm tomorrow, Friday, to 6am on Saturday, with a full closure of the southbound carriageway between junction 21a for the M62 at Croft Interchange and junction 20 for the M56 at Lymm for the installation of traffic management measures.

From 6am on Saturday to 9pm on Sunday, permanent repairs to the joint will take place, with two lanes running along the southbound carriageway past the roadworks.

At 9pm on Sunday to 6am on Monday a full closure of the southbound carriageway between junction 21a and junction 20 will be enforced for the removal of traffic management measures and the reopening the carriageway to normal, with four lanes running.

Northwich Guardian: A temporary repair was carried out in April to maintain safety along the motorwayA temporary repair was carried out in April to maintain safety along the motorway

During the overnight closures there will be no access to the southbound M6 from junction 21 for Warrington and Irlam.

A diversion for the two overnight carriageway closures will operate between junction 21a of the M6 and junction 19 of the M6 at Knutsford.

This will be via the eastbound M62, anti-clockwise M60, westbound M56 and southbound A556.

Drivers planning to use the southbound M6 during the day on Saturday and Sunday should expect congestion when the work is taking place, with two of the four lanes closed.

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

Live traffic information is always available at trafficengland.com or from National Highways’ 24-7 customer contact centre at 0300 123 5000.

Updates will also be posted on Twitter via @HighwaysNWest – National Highways’ regional Twitter feed.