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

  • UK average speed camera installation proving successful
    January 27, 2015
    Data from the A9 route in Scotland shows that the installation of average speed camera technology is helping cut crashes. This is Europe’s longest single enforcement scheme, with the technology having been installed along a 220km stretch of the A9 in Scotland. Figures from the route show that the average speed enforcement scheme, which uses SPECS technology supplied by Vysionics, is helping cut casualties while improving journey reliability and driver behaviour.
    Read More
  • New Angolan bridge offers improved connectivity
    September 30, 2013
    Drivers in Angola are benefiting from a bridge that spans the Catumbela River, taking the place of an old structure that had proven not fit for purpose. The US$35 million cable stayed bridge is located in the highway between Benguela and Lobito, around 7km from Angola’s Atlantic coast and is one of a series of new infrastructure developments in the country. Angola suffered a long period of war that impacted on its people and infrastructure. The war resulted in severe damage to the country’s road system alon
    Read More
  • Tarmac tyre trial on UK motorway
    August 7, 2019
    Highways England is carrying out trials of rubberised asphalt on a busy stretch of UK motorway. A section of the M1 near the city of Leicester has been repaved by contractor Tarmac, using a special asphalt mix containing crumb rubber from recycled motor vehicle tyres. Tarmac has developed the mix specially to meet tough requirements from Highways England. This trial will determine how the stretch of highway, located between junction 22 and junction 23, behaves in terms of running wear, skid resistance and
    Read More
  • Bentley’s Be Inspired Awards highlight innovation in software use
    January 6, 2015
    Innovation, from design to on-site execution, is alive and well, thanks to a good helping of software application. David Arminas reports from software developer Bentley’s annual global conference, held this year in London Successful project delivery is increasingly about hard men and women using software to get the job done and this year’s global conference in London by US-based software developer Bentley highlighted some innovative - and startling - examples. As usual, the Year in Infrastructure 2014
    Read More

Highlighted Content