Network Rail has announced that next year, it will be replacing Clifton Bridge near Penrith in Cumbria.

Its engineers have already begun preparing for the work at the site of the 71-year-old, 135-metre-long structure. The team arrived on site this week, and is preparing a compound in which to carry out the work.

Network Rail has arranged for National Highways to build an access road to the site of the bridge replacement work.

Clifton Bridge carries trains over the M6. It is on the West Coast Mainline and lies between the North of England and Scotland.

The bridge has reached the end of its life and can now only carry one train at a time.

This is causing delays to both passenger and freight train services.

Engineers will dismantle the old bridge, which will be taken away on the M6.

The materials for the new bridge materials will be brought by road. The bridge itself will be built on site.

There will be closures of both the railway line and the motorway in January next year, to enable workers to carry out the bridge replacement work safely.

From January 2025 until the end of the project in 2026, the northbound carriageway of the motorway’s hard shoulder and one lane will close. Other traffic management measures will also be applied during the project.

When the existing bridge is demolished and replaced in January 2026, the railway will close for two weeks. Network Rail is already in discussions with train operating companies to draw up alternative transport options, which they promise to publish as soon as possible.

The M6 will close between the evening of Friday 2 January and the morning of Monday 5 January 2026 and the evening of Friday 9 January and the morning of Monday 12 January.

It will be closed in both directions between junction 39 at Shap and junction 40 near Penrith.

Network Rail is promising that the work will ensure safe, reliable journeys for passengers and freight over the bridge for years to come. The project will cost £60 million.

Separately, there are also plans to improve Penrith’s railway connections.

“The main work, which involves rail and road closures, is not happening until January 2026. However, people living in the Clifton area or driving past might notice the start of our construction activities.

“We’re working with National Highways to make sure we can carry out our work as safely as possible with as little inconvenience to local people and the travelling public. Thank you for your patience during this critical work.”

Olivia Boland, Network Rail sponsor