MI Closure

Central Bedfordshire Council and the Highways Agency are giving road users advance warning of a 16-hour weekend closure of the M1 between Junctions 11 (Luton north) and 13 (A421, Bedford) while a bridge over Junction 12 is demolished.

The road will be closed from 8pm on June 30 until 12pm on July 1, and motorists are advised to plan ahead, leave plenty of time and use an alternative route if they can.

The 1400-tonne reinforced concrete bridge, which carries the old A5120 over the M1 and has not been used since a new bridge opened in May, needs to be demolished to make way for new slip roads at Junction 12, as part of the M1 J10 to J13 managed motorway scheme. It will be removed using hydraulic breakers.

Cllr Brian Spurr, Executive Member for Sustainable Communities, Services, at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: "Improving infrastructure is a key priority for the council and the new A5120 bridge, which opened in May, is already successful in cutting down congestion, increasing safety and improving efficiency.

"While the old bridge is demolished, we do ask that road users heed the Highways Agency’s advice to leave extra time for their journeys, plan ahead and use an alternative route if they can."

Highways Agency project manager Lynne Stinson said: "Work on the managed motorway scheme is progressing very well and we’re delighted the first phase will be completed this summer, and that we’re on target for full scheme completion in spring 2013.

"Demolishing the bridge at Junction 12 is a big engineering feat, and the only way that we can remove it safely and quickly is by closing the motorway.

"The closure will unavoidably cause some disruption for road users, but to keep it to a minimum we have timed the works for a 16-hour period at the weekend when traffic flow is at its lowest and we have avoided large spectator events."

The first phase of managed motorway between Junctions 10 and 11 is almost complete, with testing now being carried out ahead of it becoming fully operational this summer. Once it is fully operational, variable speed limits will be displayed during busy periods and the hard shoulder will be signed as being available as an extra traffic lane, giving extra capacity to road users. Work on the rest of the project, between Junctions 11 and 13 continues, and is due to be fully complete in spring 2013

Road users can keep up to date and register for updates on the scheme website www.highways.gov.uk/roads up to date travel information is also available by calling the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000, or by following @HAtraffic_east on Twitter.