Motorway to fully re-open today after lorry plunges 60 feet from bridge
A "complicated operation" to recover the vehicle is underway under Thelwall Viaduct
Last updated 1st Oct 2024
National Highways has told heat radio, a motorway bridge in Cheshire will re-open today, after a lorry plunged 60 feet during heavy rain.
Emergency services were sent to the Thelwall Viaduct, near Warrington, around 7pm yesterday (30th September).
A "complicated operation" is underway underneath the bridge, to remove the vehicle, but a temporary concrete barrier rail is being installed sooner.
Dee Murray, operations manager for National Highways in the North West, said it's an "unusual situation.
"I think in in 20 years here I've only seen one of a similar situation," he added.
He told heat radio there are two stages to the recovery operation: "There's the recovery of the vehicle, and obviously the replacement of the barrier afterwards.
"One lucky situation here, on top of the fact that the the driver is actually OK, is the fact that we can recover the vehicle underneath.
"As you imagine, that makes things a lot easier than trying to crane the vehicle back up onto the top of the bridge, so it's a complicated operation, but made simpler by the fact we can actually access underneath the bridge."
During the morning rush hour, delays were in excess of 45 minutes.
Mr. Murray explained the next stage: "We've got to make it safe for the recovery people and also the repair people who are going to be working at height to replace the barrier.
"So the next action is to put a concrete barrier rail in. You've seen those before, it's a replacement concrete barrier that's placed in the lane that provides a temporary barrier and it also protects the crews."
The barrier will be in place shortly, enabling the carriageway to re-open.