Businesses fear four years of motorway disruption

Work is due to start next year to repair bridges along the M6 through the Lune Gorge

Businesses have expressed fears that a four-year schedule of roadworks planned to repair ageing motorway bridges will prove financially devastating.

National Highways plans to repair eight bridges on the M6 through the Lune Gorge in Cumbria, with work starting in 2027 and expected to finish in 2031.

Companies in the area fear the disruption could see them them lose money and customers.

National Highways said the bridges were nearing the end of their lifespan but its aim was "to cause as little disruption as possible".

Mark Mawson, a dairy farmer with 300 cows, said he expects costs to rise by £200 a day for his farm.

"A wagon comes in here every day so that wagon will have extra costs applied to it because it will have a detour on it," he said.

Farmer Mark Mawson said the detours will result in extra expenses for his dairy farm

While businesses appreciated the need for the work, they said they were concerned about the timescale, with the partial closure of Junction 38 expected to require lengthy detours.

Adele Shewan, operations manager at the junction's truck stop at Tebay, said she feared diversions would put off the average 100 drivers a night who stop over at the site.

"[Driving through the diversion] is going to be difficult because they're under time restraints," she said.

"If there's a big crash on the M6, we're the truck stop that they come to and they're relocated to, and we've had over 200 trucks parked in here at one time."

National Highways said the bridges are reaching the end of their lifespan

Work is planned on eight concrete structures in total - seven road bridges and one overhead bridge.

Ms Shewan said the impact goes beyond businesses and will affect nearby villages like Orton, Tebay and Kirkby Stephen.

"Listen to the people, listen to what it's going to do to our village. [We're facing] four years of a child having to re-route to school," she said.

Eight concrete structures require repairs

National Highways said it was working with local communities and businesses to minimise impact.

A spokesman said: "The bridges over the Lune Gorge were built more than 60 years ago and are near the end of their lifespan.

"This work is vital to keep drivers safe and maintain the structures for the future."