Transport Insights

Returning to the mysterious “drainage defect” that undermined the stability of the new concrete central barriers on a stretch of the M1 in Bedfordshire, the BBC reported in quick succession that the defect was “still not fixed” and then that work “is due to begin”.

National Highways said the drainage defect, which had emerged in mid January between junctions 12 and 13 but which they were trying to get to the bottom of, had weakened the supports for what are obviously very heavy barriers.

Tony Fisher/BBC

Initially there were lane closures but then, as the BBC reported last week:

they had been able to remove the lane closures early last week “due to the improving weather” but did not say when the “drainage defect” would be repaired.

That article quotes me as saying that it looked like National Highways was taking advantage of the drier period:

[But] it seems unlikely that it would be able to carry out significant work to repair any damaged drainage without reinstating lane closures to create a sufficiently wide and safe working environment.

A day later, the BBC reported:

Work to fix a damaged drainage pipe on the M1 in Bedfordshire is due to begin eight weeks after the problem first occurred.

And, crucially (for me):

Lane closures will be in place as well as several overnight closures.