Catthorpe Interchange viaduct to be demolished

The Catthorpe interchange is where the M1, M6 and A14 meet

Work to demolish an old motorway viaduct on the Warwickshire/Leicestershire border is due to begin on Friday night.

The viaduct, which carried M6 southbound traffic over the M1 at the Catthorpe Junction Interchange, has been replaced by a new bridge.

The Highways Agency said it would mean a 36-hour closure of sections of the M1 and M6 around the interchange from midnight on Friday.

It said diversions would be signed.

Ivan Marriott, project manager for the Highways Agency, said the demolition of the old Catthorpe Viaduct presented a "very particular engineering challenge".

"The 85-metre (280ft) long, 3,500-tonne bridge will be taken down piece by piece using 10 large excavators with hydraulic breakers.

"This method has been chosen due to the close proximity of the new bridge to the south of the original, and also to ensure that we don't damage the M1 carriageway which runs directly below the viaduct."

Details of the closures can be found on the Highways Agency website.