Cancellation of weekend closure on part of M1 junction 24, Leicestershire
The first of two weekend closures for bridge expansion and strengthening work at M1 junction 24 in Leicestershire will now not go ahead.
Good progress has been made on the scheme on the south bridge of the junction to the extent that the closure planned for the weekend on Friday 12 to Monday 15 September is no longer required.
Instead the bridge will only be closed overnight that weekend, from 8pm to 6am each night. The second closure, from 8pm on Friday 19 September to 6am on Monday 22 September will still go ahead as planned, weather permitting.
Highways Agency Assistant Project Manager Robin Jackson said:
We are very pleased with the progress we’ve made as it has enabled us to re-programme the work into just one full weekend closure. This will cause less disruption for road users and also avoids a number of events in the area including the Zoo Project Festival at Donington Park, Nottingham Trent University’s open day and the Nottingham Forest v Derby game at the City Ground.
We will still need to close the bridge overnight though, so road users should still be prepared for delays and allow extra time for their journeys, particularly if they have a flight to catch at East Midlands Airport.
The work taking place during the full weekend closure is weather dependant. We are re-waterproofing the bridge so conditions have to be bone dry. In the event of rain we will have to postpone to a future date.
After the weekend closure a further week of overnight closures will be required.
The south bridge of the junction is being altered to accommodate a third lane as part of a £6 million Pinch Point scheme to improve capacity, but needs to be strengthened and re-waterproofed first.
The closures will affect M1 southbound, A453 southbound or A6 northbound traffic heading to East Midlands Airport as well as A453 and A6 traffic heading to the A50 westbound.
During the closures traffic will be diverted southbound on the M1 to junction 23 where it will turn around and head north, leaving the M1 at junction 23a. A separate signed diversion will be in place for non-motorway traffic. Road users are advised to allow at least an extra 15 minutes for their journey.
The Highways Agency and its contractors have liaised with a number of stakeholders about the closures including East Midlands Airport, Donington Park, public transport operators, local authorities and a number of local businesses.
The £6million M1 junction 24 scheme will see the construction of a new carriageway in the middle of the junction to remove traffic travelling from the A50 to the M1 southbound from the roundabout and instead redirect it to the entry slip road at M1 junction 23a via the A453.The work is due to end early in 2015.
People can find out more about the scheme, including regular updates about traffic management and diversions on the Highways Agency’s website
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