£7.5 million roadworks on M1 in Rotherham begin this week

The M1 between the M18 and Meadowhall (junctions 32 to 34) will have £7.5 million splashed on it over the next 12 months.

Work on the motorway, which carries 110,000 vehicles a day, will include resurfacing, bridge and lighting improvements as well as barrier and drainage work.

Focal points include the upper deck of Tinsley Viaduct — where the lower deck has been undergoing a summer of improvements — and two bridges just south of the Parkway interchange at junction 33.

Highways England said the roadworks, which are due to begin on Friday, were part of an £80 million Yorkshire-wide upgrade programme aimed at improving safety and supporting economic growth.

Programme lead Mark Ramsden said: “We are carrying out £80 million of maintenance improvements in Yorkshire and the Humber over this financial year and that includes investing more than £7.5 million on this section of the M1.  

“Work is due to start this month on the bridges over the River Rother and Long Lane. 

“This work has been brought forward so we can continue to provide drivers with smoother and safer journeys along the M1 after a number of potholes in this area. 

“We are working closely with Rotherham and Sheffield councils to minimise any impact while we carry out this work.

“We have just completed work on the southbound carriageway of the lower deck of Tinsley Viaduct and work has now started on the middle maintenance lane.

“There are a further five schemes planned over the next 12 months. 

“This includes work to the upper deck of the iconic Tinsley Viaduct planned for later this year and upgrading the lighting around this busy junction in the new year.”

Highways England is replacing 40,650 squares metres of road surface. 

Work has already been carried out at Tinsley Viaduct and will take place between M1 junction 36 and Westwood roundabout, and on some of the M1 slip roads at junction 34 and junction 35a. 

In the new year ,Highways England will be replacing 34 street lights and 44 sign lights with modern efficient LED lighting. 

The agency said the new lighting was 53 per cent more efficient, saving the equivalent energy of powering the homes of 20,000 people, could be remotely controlled and will require minimum maintenance which means less disruption for drivers.

Highways England is also replacing 21,200 square metres of waterproofing on bridges along the M1. 

The waterproof layer protects the concrete base from the elements which could cause damage to the bridge structure or potholes in the road surface. 

Work has already taken place at Tinsley Viaduct, and work on the northbound Long Lane and River Rother bridges will begin on Friday.