Major HS2 works begin around the M6 and M42

Drivers are being warned to expect disruption from this weekend until November, as HS2 carries out major engineering work to eventually carry the track over the M6 and the M42.

A series of weekend road closures begins at 21:00 BST on 26 June and will see the first set of beams to support a 'twin box' structure over the motorway installed.

The twin box is what the line will run through when trains start operating between Birmingham and London.

Anges Usciak, the senior project manager for the works said "The progress we're making on the viaducts and structures next to the M6 and the M42 is already clear to see, and over the next six months, we'll start bridging the gaps above the carriageways."

The latest work will see a series of beams installed to build what HS2 Ltd calls a roof deck, basically putting a cover over the motorways and creating a floor on which the twin box for the railway lines can be built on.

175 beams, each weighing up to 92 tonnes, will make up the roof deck and will be lifted into place using a 300-tonne crane.

While that happens, in a series of four overnight weekend road closures, other engineers will start extending the single-track viaducts at Water Orton - to take trains over the M42 and in and out of the new Curzon Street station in Birmingham.

The work between the end of June and November will take place in six stages:

• 26 June - 29 June: the installation of the first beams
• 24 July - 27 July: more beam installation and work on the Water Orton viaduct
• 14 August - 17 August: continued work at Water Orton and the installation of the twin box beam
• 12 August - 24 August: the M6 South viaduct is put in place
• 18 September - 21 September: more work at the Water Orton viaduct and the final beam installations over the M42
• October - November: installation of the parapets for the Water Orton viaduct (date to be confirmed).

HS2 Ltd said it had worked with National Highways over the closures, to try and minimise the disruption to one of the busiest motorways in the UK.

Ian Doust, head of network planning and development at National Highways said "We recognise that there will, inevitably, be some disruption during these weekend closures so we would advise people to leave extra time for journeys and take alternative routes if at all possible."

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