Travel advice as bridge maintenance starts on M23 near Gatwick
The Highways Agency is advising drivers planning to use the M23 in West Sussex to allow extra time as a £2 million scheme to maintain a bridge starts next week.
Work starts on Friday 12 September to replace key components on a bridge between junction 8 (M25) and junction 9 (Gatwick) to keep journeys safe and reliable. The bridge carries the M23 over Coopers Hill Road and the Redhill to Tonbridge railway line.
The work will be carried out using carriageway closures, in one direction at a time, with a contraflow in place on the opposite carriageway to allow two lanes to remain open to traffic in both directions. It is due to be completed, weather permitting, by the end of November.
Highways Agency Asset Manager Peter Phillips said:
We are maintaining the bridge to prolong the life of the structure, which will provide safe and reliable journeys for the thousands of drivers that rely on this route.
We have planned the work to minimise disruption and will carry out the work on one carriageway at a time to reduce the time taken and keep two lanes open in both directions. I advise anyone wishing to use the M23 to plan their journeys in advance and to allow extra time.
The Highways Agency provides live traffic information via its website, Twitter, local and national radio travel bulletins, electronic road signs and mobile platforms, such as the iPhone.
To setup the various phases, carriageway closures will be in place – one at a time – overnight, between 10pm and 5am, with fully signed diversions in place via the A264, A22 and M25.
Work starts on Friday 12 September to remove sections of the central reservation barrier to allow a contraflow to be installed. The outside lane will be closed in both directions with traffic using the hard shoulder and a 50mph speed limit to keep three lanes open during the day.
From Saturday 20 September a contraflow will be in place on the southbound carriageway to allow two narrow lanes to remain open and a 40mph speed limit in both directions.
The contraflow will then be switched onto the London-bound carriageway from Monday 13 October.
The contraflow will then be removed from Monday 3 November and the central reservation barrier replaced. The outside lane will be closed in both directions with traffic using the hard shoulder and a 50mph speed limit to keep three lanes open during the day.
A free recovery service will be in operation during the roadworks.
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.