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

  • Innovative, quality asphalt surfacing solutions
    February 22, 2012
    An array of innovative mix designs and special processes have been introduced to the paving market in recent years. These are now being used in many site applications and are offering contractors the benefits of fast application and high surface quality while providing safe, cost-effective and hard wearing solutions with long life for clients.
  • Chile's challenging bridge and tunnel construction
    February 27, 2012
    SACYR Chile is constructing a bridge on the new Northeast Access Highway in the capital Santiago, and when complete the 22.5km route will link the suburbs of Vitacura and Colina to the city. Acceso Nororiente, opening this year, is the fifth urban freeway in Santiago and stands out because of the challenges in the construction of its bridges ands tunnels.
  • Nepal link benefits from Japanese funding
    February 29, 2012
    Road improvements on the key Tinkune-Jadibuti road in Nepal are now complete, with an official opening of the route having taken place.
  • Reducing congestion while maximising safety in road construction work zones
    April 30, 2015
    Mike Dreznes, executive vice president at the International Road Federation (IRF) discusses road safety for work zone areas. Work zones around the world can create significant congestion and can cost society billions of dollars. Estimates in the United States alone include approximately 87,600 work zone crashes involving 37,500 injuries that result in 482 million lost hours, valued at approximately US$6.5 billion. When considering these numbers worldwide, it becomes clear that work zone safety and work zone