M6 LIVE updates as warning issued over long delays
Delays are expected on the M6 today as a 'wide load' makes its journey up north.
National Highways said the huge 450-tonne electricity transformer is being moved by Welsh Power, starting its journey this morning at Heysham. It will travel to Longtown, north of Carlisle in Cumbria - a journey of around 12 hours.
The vehicle which is more than six metres wide is travelling north on the M6 through Lancashire and Cumbria, straddling two lanes of the motorway. Once it's made it to Cumbria, the vehicle will then park on a closed lane of the northbound exit slip road at junction 39 for a planned break before resuming its route.
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It will then move into Scotland up the A74(M) where it will turn and head south – re-joining the M6. The load will exit the southbound M6 motorway at junction 45 - reversing up the entry slip road before heading to Longtown.
It's end destination will be Gretna, where Welsh Power is constructing a specialist site to support the grid. A National Highways spokesperson said: "The load will be moving at around 12 mph along the M6 and drivers are being asked to exercise extra patience and care when overtaking in lane three of the motorway.
"Drivers may be stopped temporarily at locations around junction 45 when the load is leaving the motorway."