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

  • Briefly, and to the point
    April 10, 2012
    Duplex A86 tunnel. The low risk found for driving through the tunnel is primarily due to the low volume of traffic of around 11,000 vehicles/day and the ban on HGVs and the transport of hazardous goods.
  • Cold recycling in Monsanto, Portugal
    November 24, 2021
    A key machine used for the cold recycling train was the new Wirtgen W 380 CR, which made its debut for Pragosa on this construction site.
  • Briefly, and to the point
    May 9, 2012
    The low risk found for driving through the tunnel is primarily due to the low volume of traffic of around 11,000 vehicles/day and the ban on HGVs and the transport of hazardous goods. Unidirectional traffic, sufficiently wide lanes, emergency lanes and lighting are the main reasons for the very good result for preventive measures. The tunnel is monitored around-the-clock in a tunnel control centre manned by trained staff, and incidents are automatically reported to the control centre by video link. If neces
  • More investment needed for road maintenance
    March 13, 2014
    As the Northern Hemisphere recovers from yet another tough winter, the road system in many countries can be seen to have taken a heavy battering. Potholes abound in many countries, the legacy of cold weather, and this has been made worse by heavy rain that has caused widespread flooding and also damaged bridges.