Fear M6 works could keep residents up at night
National HighwaysUpcoming overnight motorway diversions could cause considerable disruption to residents, a councillor has said.
Major repairs to ageing bridges at Lune Gorge on the M6 are due to start next spring, meaning overnight closures and a contraflow system would come into force between junction 38 at Tebay and junction 37 at Kendal.
Councillor Jonathan Cornthwaite claimed National Highways was not "particularly bothered" about how it would affect surrounding towns like Kendal, adding residents "would have to bear the brunt" of noisy night traffic.
National Highways said it would aim "to cause as little disruption as possible" during the "complex scheme", which is expected to run until summer 2031.
It said the bridges had been in place since the 1970s and the repairs were "vital to keep drivers safe".
Cornthwaite questioned whether certain roads involved in the diversions would be prepared, particularly those with loose manhole covers and potholes, as articulated lorries would be running over them at night, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
"They can be quite noisy at the best of times, and I am concerned how the noise will affect residents' sleep," the Kendal Nether ward councillor said.
He highlighted a set of traffic lights at the Sainsbury's on Shap Road as being a problem point, with "the lights changing every 12 seconds".
He said that sequence of lights would not be necessary at night, due to lorries' "squealing" brakes and "having to rev to accelerate".
Cornthwaite added: "I know the bridge repairs have to be done for safety, but hamlets, villages and towns will have to bear the brunt of it."
'End of lifespan'
Tim Farron, Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, previously said communities in Kirkby Stephen would be among the "worst affected" with businesses "starved" of visitor trade.
National Highways said many of the motorways and A roads it managed were built about 60 years ago.
"The bridges over the Lune Gorge are an example of this. Opened in the early 1970s, they are near the end of their lifespan and this maintenance work is vital to keep drivers safe," a spokesperson said.
It said its "aim was to cause as little disruption as possible during this complex scheme".
The spokesperson added: "To date, we have held over 60 engagement sessions with residents and businesses to identify the steps we are able to take to limit the impact."