Traffic bulletin: M1 to be closed overnight for carriageway repairs
Road users are advised of further overnight closures of the M1 in Leicestershire and Northamptonshire from Monday next week (27 October) so emergency resurfacing work can be carried out.
The temporary overnight road closures are needed to repair the carriageway surface on the hard shoulder of the M1 between junction 16 near Northampton and junction 18 near Rugby.
The M1 northbound will be closed between 10pm to 6am from Junction 16 for Northampton and Junction 18 for DIRFT and Rugby, each night from Monday 27 October to (and including) Saturday 1 November 2014. Traffic will be diverted via A45 to A5 from Junction 16.
The M1 southbound will be closed between Junction 18 for DIRFT and Rugby and Junction 16 for Northampton, to allow the works to be carried out from Monday 3 November 2014 to (and including) Saturday 8 November 2014, from 10pm to 6am each night. Traffic will be diverted via A5 to A45 Weedon from Junction 18.
For three weeks, from Monday 27 October, there will be overnight lane closures from 9pm to 6am between junctions 16 and 15 of the M1 for survey works.
Brian Gash, Highways Agency Senior Project Manager, said:
In order to make this stretch of road safer, we must carry out these resurfacing works now.
We don’t take lightly the decision to close our roads, and especially one of the most important routes in the midlands, but this work is required sooner rather than later for safety reasons.
Those using the M1 during these times are advised to leave extra time for their journeys. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
On the M1 between junctions 15 and 19 we are upgrading the existing metal central reserve barrier to a more robust, safer concrete structure. The work started in August 2014 and is due to be completed by summer 2015.
During the day three lanes of the M1 will remain open to traffic in both directions, with a temporary 50mph speed limit in place for the safety of road users and road workers.
Lane 3 of the M1 north and southbound is closed to provide a safe working area for those building the new barrier, with the hard shoulder used as a temporary traffic lane. The resurfacing work on sections of the hard shoulder is to ensure it remains safe for road users to use.
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000.
Media enquiries
Journalists should contact the Highways Agency press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.