Key section of M62 to be closed 'for the first time in recent memory' with warnings of traffic chaos

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A key section of the M62 - the country’s main trans-Pennine route - will be closed for two full weekends next month. The railway bridge over the M62 between junction 19 at Heywood and junction 20 at Rochdale is set to be replaced by Network Rail.

Castleton bridge, which is almost 60 years old and carries the main railway line over the motorway between Manchester and Rochdale, is being demolished and replaced with a new bridge during two full weekend closures of the motorway in September.

This means that no trains will pass over the bridge during construction and vehicles passing through the M62 route will be diverted - with National Highways warning of travel disruption as a result. READ MORE: Rioter draped in England flag barged into 'neutral zone' and 'launched plastic bottle' at police in Bolton It is the first time in recent memory that the M62, which carries around 120,000 vehicles a day, has been closed for a whole weekend or other extended period for planned work, according to National Highways.

National Highways, which operates the M62, said they are working with Network Rail to ensure the work goes as smoothly as possible.