Vital motorway used by 180,000 drivers per day hit by FOUR MONTHS of closures

A VITAL motorway used by 180,000 drivers per day will be hit by closures over the next four months.

Roadworks to the M6 between Lancashire and Cumbria will see various sections blocked off, with diversions put in place.

This comes as part of a four-month project by National Highways to reduce the flooding risk on the motorway – costing £4 million.

The affected stretch is between junction 34 at Lancaster and junction 36 south of Kendal.

Bosses have insisted that the disruption will consist only of lane closures, however, rather than the full carriageway.

Project manager Cameron Newsham said: “Doing the drainage and safety barrier work at the same time means reducing future roadworks in the area – minimising inconvenience for motorway users.

“In any case, the motorway will be open to drivers at all times as we’ll be carrying out all the work by only using lane closures both during the daytime and overnight.

“While we are not expecting this work to disrupt anyone’s journey we appreciate drivers like to know what work is going on when they come across traffic management and lane closures.”

The speed limit will mostly remain at 70mph on open lanes – even when passing the roadworks, National Highways added.

However, a 50mph speed limit will be imposed on one section going southbound between junction 35 and junction 34 – which is likely to slow down traffic.

All measures will be lifted over the Easter bank holiday – to ensure festive travellers can get to their destinations swiftly.

The scheme, which starts on Monday (February 24), will include clearing blockages, improving roadside verges, and making repairs to the current drainage system.

Parts of the central reservation safety barrier will also be repaired during the four-month period.

It comes as motorists were also warned of upcoming closures on the M25 and M62.

The junction 10 gyratory on the M25, which provides access to the A3, will close from 9pm on Friday until 6am on Monday, February 24, meaning there will be no interchange between the two routes.

Despite the closure, it is only the slip roads and roundabout that will be affected, and drivers on the A3 will still be able to continue through journeys, as will those on the M25.

Meanwhile, the M62 westbound between Manchester and Warrington will fully close overnight tonight (Friday February 21) between Junction 12 at Eccles and Junction 11 at Birchwood.

The closure will come into effect at 9pm and lift at 6am tomorrow morning (Saturday February 22).

There will then be further disruption in the daytime over the weekend – as four westbound lanes close.

The same lanes will close again next Saturday until the late evening.

Alamy

The M6 will see several lane closures over the coming months[/caption]