Major railway bridge replacement set to close M6 near Penrith in January 2026
Train services and traffic diversions planned during rail and motorway closures
The steel structure for a £60m railway bridge, designed to improve services along the West Coast Main Line, has been completed and is set to be installed over the M6 near Penrith in January.
Measuring 130 metres and weighing approximately 4,200 tonnes, the new bridge will replace a nearly 60-year-old concrete structure with weight restrictions that cause delays by limiting crossings to one train at a time.
Network Rail plans to remove the old bridge and install the new one between 1st and 14th January next year. During this period, trains will not run between Oxenholme and Carlisle on the West Coast Main Line, and the M6 will close in both directions between junction 39 at Shap and junction 40 near Penrith on two consecutive weekends. The motorway closures will take place from 8pm on Friday 2nd January to 5am on Monday 5th January and again from 8pm on Friday 9th January to 5am on Monday 12th January.
Essential upgrades planned during closures
In addition to bridge installation, Network Rail will replace more than 80 kilometres of overhead train cables and advance a £61m digital signalling system upgrade north of Carlisle. William Brandon, Network Rail’s project manager, emphasised the importance of this work for improving the reliability and journey times for passengers on the West Coast Main Line.
Local traffic management plans are being coordinated by National Highways, which is encouraging affected residents to attend drop-in sessions this month or review diversion information. Steve Mason, programme delivery manager at National Highways, referred to the work as a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ project to future-proof this critical railway route.
Christmas upgrades
While the Clifton Bridge replacement is scheduled for January, Network Rail teams are also undertaking upgrades across the West Coast Main Line over the Christmas period. Planned works include a £26m junction upgrade at Hanslope in Northamptonshire, a £16m signalling system investment at Preston station, and ongoing £61m signalling updates south of Carlisle.
As part of a broader £196m investment, these projects aim to improve passenger journeys and modernise infrastructure along the northern and southern sections of one of Britain’s busiest rail routes.