Skip to main content

Britain's M1 motorway re-opens after extensive fire

One of Britain's major motorways, the M1, is now able to carry traffic in both directions between junctions 1 and 4 near London, following extensive investigation, assessment, and structural reinforcement which has taken place non-stop since Friday, 15 April.
March 1, 2012 Read time: 1 min
A UK highways Agency photograph showing the metal support structure below the M1 after the fire damage. (David Townend Photography)
One of Britain's major motorways, the M1, is now able to carry traffic in both directions between junctions 1 and 4 near London, following extensive investigation, assessment, and structural reinforcement which has taken place non-stop since Friday, 15 April.

Construction work on the bridge support, and investigations to determine what remedial work needs to be carried out following extensive fire damage in a business under an elevated section of the motorway, are ongoing.

Two lanes in each direction have been re-opened on the motorway, which links the capital with Leeds in northern England. An 11km section of the route was closed following the fire.

Drivers are still advised to check before travelling, and consider alternative routes or means of travel to their destinations as there may still be some congestion due to the reduced capacity of the road.

Related Content

  • Denmark reconsiders a Kattegat link
    May 10, 2023
    A bridge would cross the Kattegat Strait between the Jutland peninsula city of Aarhus - Denmark’s second largest city after the capital Copenhagen - and Kalundborg, a small city of 17,000 on the western shore of Zealand Island.
  • A vision of roads
    September 3, 2012
    By 2040 European roads could be built differently, and hopefully be safer, according to the EU research programme NR2C
  • High speed bridge demolition minimises disruption
    February 16, 2012
    A high speed bridge demolition project has been carried out successfully in Germany. Speed was of the essence as the bridge spanned an important road link and had to be removed in a tight time frame, minimising disruption to traffic.
  • High speed bridge demolition minimises disruption
    April 13, 2012
    A high speed bridge demolition project has been carried out successfully in Germany. Speed was of the essence as the bridge spanned an important road link and had to be removed in a tight time frame, minimising disruption to traffic.