In the first installation of its kind in the UK drivers and rail users in the North West are to benefit from a new barrier system that will prevent bridge strikes along the M6 motorway.

As part of the £3.2m overhaul of Rose Whittle Bridge near junction 28 of the M6 at Leyland, a new Delta Bloc System, specifically designed for the protection of bridges, was installed last month.

The bridge carries M6 traffic over the West Coast Main Line and the blocks have been installed to prevent and minimise the impact of bridge strikes. Incidents involving bridge strikes can cause long delays for safety reasons as engineers need to check for damage before re-opening roads or railway lines.

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Work on Rose Whittle Bridge, which is half a mile south of Junction 28, began in October this year and is due to be finished later this month.

Temporary concrete barriers around the bridge have been removed and replaced with the permanent Delta Bloc barriers DB 100AS-R.

The new design will provide better protection of the bridge and the Highways Agency approved a containment level of H4b for the project. A working width of W5 enables the provision of a full hard shoulder. There will also be 500m of new surfacing added to every lane in both directions.

Marshalls' new Delta Bloc Bridge Systems feature a precast concrete barrier with a jersey profile to a single side. These are joined together by 'connectors' and the system draws its strength from each piece of the barrier being connected to the other.

Under a heavy impact, the barrier is designed to deflect in the manner of a heavy chain. The non-structural bolts that secure the barrier to the concrete foundations are also designed to shear off which imposes lower forces on the bridge deck than conventional concrete and steel barriers - thereby reducing the significant costs of carrying out deck strengthening works required for the provision of a conventional barrier.

(CD/JM)