Weekend Closures Planned for M62 Motorway Due to Bridge Replacement

The M62 motorway near Rochdale will experience two full weekend closures starting this weekend. This is in relation to Network Rail’s £22 million bridge replacement project at Castleton.

The closures will occur in both directions from 9 PM on 6 September to 6 AM on 9 September, and again from 9 PM on 20 September to 6 AM on 23 September. These closures are necessary for the reconstruction of the 42-meter-long Castleton bridge, which allows trains to travel over the M62 between junction 19 at Heywood and junction 20 at Rochdale.

The existing bridge is nearly 60 years old and is listed on Network Rail’s risk register of post-tensioned bridges, which have shown signs of internal corrosion due to water infiltration.

The project, which has been in the preparation stages for approximately 30 months, is now being executed within a condensed timeframe due to the importance of the bridge for freight transport, including the supply of materials to Drax power station in Selby.

The new bridge will be constructed from weathering steel by Murphy Ireland. Recently, two heavy steel beams, each weighing 70 tons and measuring 42 meters, were delivered to the site during a scheduled overnight closure of the M62. These beams were manufactured in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, Ireland, and transported under police escort.

Network Rail sponsor Olivia Boland emphasized that replacing the Castleton bridge is vital for the safe operation of rail services and is significant for the country’s economy, as 6% of the UK’s energy supply relies on it for transportation.

Gary Farrell, a senior network planner from National Highways, noted their coordination with Network Rail to plan and announce the ongoing work, including the two full weekend closures. He urged drivers to avoid the affected section of the M62 if possible and to respect official diversions during this period.

National Highways also reminded drivers of nightly closures from 9 PM to 6 AM until the second weekend closure, occurring between junction 19 and junction 20, with diversions clearly signposted for drivers.

The M62 will also experience additional nightly closures in West Yorkshire between Huddersfield and Brighouse and other closures affecting entry and exit slip roads at junction 25 on specified dates in September.