Overview
- After a meeting with Roads Minister Simon Lightwood and MP Tim Farron, National Highways agreed to review newly submitted temporary slip-road designs drawn up by consultants BWB.
- National Highways postponed a planned in-person stakeholder session and said it is nearing final design, including assessing the feasibility of temporary slip roads, with conclusions to follow.
- The programme will replace eight late-1960s bridges over a five-mile stretch of the M6, with main works scheduled to begin in 2027 and carried out in phased northbound and then southbound restrictions.
- A petition with more than 5,500 signatures was delivered to Downing Street calling for measures to keep Junction 38 open, and Westmorland and Furness Council backed a motion pressing ministers and National Highways to do so.
- Owners of Tebay Services and the Junction 38 Truckstop warn of economic and HGV safety impacts, while National Highways says the junction will generally remain open except for limited overnight or weekend closures.