Highways Agency Annual Report and Accounts 2011-2012

Maintaining the network: SECTION 4
Catthorpe Viaduct Demolition
Demolition work underway of the old
viaduct at Catthorpe (Leicestershire),
which carried the M6 southbound
over the M1. The structure was
demolished within a 36 hour period.
This started at midnight on Friday
night (6 January 2012) and the
Highways Agency was able to reopen
the M6 southbound carriageway
three hours ahead of schedule at
9.00am, and all routes were open
again by 12.30pm on Sunday 8
January 2012.
viaduct forms the southbound
link from the M6 to the M1 at
junction 19 of the M1 (which
is used by more than 170,000
vehicles per day). The condition
of the viaduct had been monitored
over several years and the need
for a replacement structure was
identified.
Approval was given in August
2009 and work commenced
in July 2010. This involved a
replacement structure being
built within the existing highway
boundary, south of the existing
viaduct, allowing the network to
remain operational. Following the
completion of the new viaduct
and it being opened to traffic in
December 2011, the original 85
metre, 3,500 tonne viaduct was
demolished in a 36-hour period
over a weekend in January 2012.
A46 Newark to Widmerpool
The A46 is an important regional
route in the East Midlands linking
Leicester and Lincoln. The 17.4
mile section between Newark
and Widmerpool was the last
remaining single carriageway
section of the A46 between the
M1 J21a north of Leicester and
Newark Western Relief Road.
The existing road was generally
straight and undulating as it
followed the line of the old Roman
Road - Fosse Way. This made
safe overtaking difficult and was
made worse by many junctions
and accesses to fields, farms
and houses. The new road is a
two-lane, dual carriageway from
the A606 junction at Widmerpool
to an improved roundabout at
Farndon, just south of Newark.
The improvement will reduce
congestion, improve safety and
provide a bypass for East Stoke
and Farndon. Advanced work
began in March 2009 to prepare
the sites ready for start of work.
The main construction work began
in July 2009 with the road opening
to traffic in March 2012.
M53 Bidston Moss
Work was undertaken to strengthen
and refurbish this 730 metre long
bridge on the M53 in the Wirral.
Work started in April 2010 and was
completed on time in March 2012.
The project was delivered for £5
million under the original budget,
and was funded by the Highways
Agency, the DfT, Wirral Council and
Merseyside Integrated Transport
Authority (Merseytravel).
The Bidston Moss Viaduct carries
the motorway over the A554 and
a railway line, before taking traffic
Aerial view of M53 Bidston Moss
Highways Agency Annual Report and Accounts 2011-12