Fire damage closes bridge over UK's M1 motorway

Following a fire at a scrapyard under the motorway (one of Britain’s busiest) in April, extensive investigation, assessment and structural reinforcement work has taken place non-stop.
February 22, 2012 Read time: 1 min
A UK Highways Agency photograph shows the metal support structure below the M1 after the fire damage. (David Townend Photography).
WHILE ALL three lanes in both directions are now open between junctions 1 and 4 on the M1 motorway, north of London, UK, further closures will be required.

Following a fire at a scrapyard under the motorway (one of Britain’s busiest) in April, extensive investigation, assessment and structural reinforcement work has taken place non-stop.

An 80km/hour speed limit is in force over the viaduct for safety reasons.

The 1441 UK Highways Agency says that it is likely there will be a need for further closures to enable permanent repair work to be undertaken. This will be planned to minimise disruption as far as possible.
Road Structures

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • World growth in geosynthtics set to rise
    February 17, 2012
    With geosynthetics sales set to grow rapidly in the next three years, manufacturers are preparing for the demand. Patrick Smith reports. Global demand for geosynthetics is projected to increase 5.3% annually to 4.7 billion m² in 2013 with countries such as China, India and Russia expected to post the strongest gains through the forecast period. All are building large-scale infrastructure developments and face evolving environmental protection regulations and strict building construction codes.
    Read More
  • The A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme takes shape
    May 31, 2017
    Highways England’s project manager gives sneak peek into progress on the UK’s biggest road upgrade now under construction. Road construction workers often find interesting buried items when building roads and the UK’s A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme is proving the point. It’s been less than half a year since construction started on the €1.76 billion A14 scheme, Highways England’s largest ongoing project. Highways England is the wholly government-owned company responsible for modernising, main
    Read More
  • Smart motorways coming to a stop?
    November 24, 2021
    Are the UK’s smart motorways coming to a stop?
    Read More
  • Pre-stressed bridge decks use modular formwork system
    July 9, 2012
    Imaginative formwork, often using modular components, is helping to shape some challenging bridges worldwide. Patrick Smith reports Traffic volumes in and around Prague have swollen massively in recent years, pushing the existing road network to the limits of its capacity. To permanently ease congestion in the Czech capital's centre, a multi-lane orbital motorway is under construction as a high capacity bypass for central Prague and to link up all the motorways and other major highways radiating from the ci
    Read More

Highlighted Content