Sighs over Cumbrian bridge replacement

The West Coast Main Line has been the lifeblood of the British economy since around 1860. The M6 motorway has been a strategic artery of trade and prosperity since it opened a century later. They come together at a place called Clifton in Cumbria, in North West England. Replacing the bridge between them is about to be a major national heartstopper.

Network Rail and their road counterparts National Highways have jumpstarted a year of preparation for a bridge replacement project in the northwest of England. The long lead time is down to the potential for huge disruption to national trade routes by both rail and road. The bridge at Clifton, a hamlet in Cumbria, needs replacement and work is scheduled for January 2026. Strat making alternative route plans now, say the agencies.

Major investment, major upheaval

It shares its name with the celebrated suspension bridge. It is however a relat…