M6 to be hit with severe delays as giant transformer forces traffic to slow to 12mph
The transformer will travel through Lancashire and Cumbria
NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
Motorists have been warned to expect delays this weekend on a major motorway in the north of England.
Drivers using the M6 through Lancashire and Cumbria have been advised to take alternative routes as a huge electricity transformer travelling 12mph takes to the road.
The transformer will be travelling from the port at Heysham in Lancashire to Dumfriesshire and hit the road at 9am this morning.
The route will take more than 24 hours to complete with drivers warned to expect disruptions until 3pm tomorrow.
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The transformer weighs 186 tonnes
NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
The transformer weighs 186 tonnes, with the combined weight of the transporter and load weighing 375 tonnes.
Measuring 5.4m in width and 62m in length, it will straddle across two lanes of the motorway and while travelling at severely restricted speeds.
As a result, drivers are being asked to be extra patience when overtaking on lane three of the motorway.
On Saturday the load will travel north up the M6 from junction 34 near Lancaster in Lancashire to Tebay Services, just north of junction 38 in Cumbria before arriving at the services at 5pm.
In Sunday the load will embark on the second and final leg of its long journey, leaving Tebay Services at 7am, travelling to junction 42 at Carlisle for a planned break.
It will then move into Scotland, joining the A74M to arrive at the Moffat Substation in Dumfriesshire at 3pm.
This is the second time the load has been moved on the M6 following the first journey taken in July.
National Highways’ abnormal loads manager Gordon Beattie said at the time: “This is an unusually wide abnormal loads movement, but we’ve been liaising with the police as well as the authorities in Scotland to keep any disruption to other drivers’ journeys to a minimum.”
Other traffic updates include the M20 coastbound between junctions 8 and 9 being closed and only open for EU freight drivers.
All other vehicles must leave at junction 8 and follow the diversion route using the A2, M2 and A20. EU freight should stay on the M20 and join the queue.
Operation Brock is open to help divert traffic and disruptions in the area. The contraflow system is designed to keep traffic on the M20 and other roads in Kent moving when there is disruption to travel across the English Channel.
National Highways explained: “‘Brock’ is a contraflow that can be set up overnight. It separates traffic into different lanes across both carriageways and keeps the M20 and other local roads open and moving.
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Delays to last all day as electricity transformer gets transported on the motorwayPA“It means, once the contraflow is in, if you’re on the M20 but not going to the port or the Eurotunnel, you can continue your journey as normal. At the same time, it helps control how port-bound HGVs make their way to the Port of Dover or the Eurotunnel.”
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