THE M53 will be closed all next weekend for road repairs and the start of bridge replacement work at Junction 2, Moreton Spur.

The motorway will be closed in both directions from 10pm on Friday, April 17 until 5am on Monday, April 20.

Diversions will be in place throughout the weekend.

During the work, carried out by Highways England, one of the bridges carrying the junction slip roads over the motorway will be removed in preparation for installation a new bridge deck to be installed later this year.

Motorists are advised the southbound M53 will be closed between junction one and junction three with the northbound closed at junction two only with drivers asked to use a short 'off and on' diversion.

Highways England is also advising drivers that work on the project, which started in February and was due to be completed by early June, is now likely to continue until August due to 'unforeseen technical issues'.

The agency has issued the following advice to motorists:

  • Diversions will be in place over the weekend, but traffic on the alternative routes is likely to be heavy especially during the daytime.
  • Drivers are also advised to avoid using the Wallasey (Kingsway) tunnel north of junction one of the motorway and to use the Birkenhead (Queensway) tunnel instead if they are crossing the Mersey as part of their journey.
  • Anyone using the southbound M53 will be diverted off the motorway at junction one and need to rejoin the motorway at junction three.
  • From junction one drivers should follow the 'open diamond' symbol and use the northbound A554, westbound A551 Leasowe Road, southbound A551 Upton Road and Arrowe Park Road and finally the eastbound A552 Woodchurch Road to junction three.
  • Anyone travelling northbound along the M53 will be able to use an 'off and on' diversion – leaving the motorway at junction two and travelling west to the roundabout at Upton bypass where they can join the eastbound carriageway and re-join the northbound M53 from the entry slip road at junction two.
  • Drivers are also urged to avoid using Halton Council’s Silver Jubilee Bride at Runcorn to travel between the M56 and M62 over the weekend as bridge maintenance will mean single lane running in both directions between Friday night and Sunday night.
  • The Queensway tunnel in Birkenhead will be open throughout the work apart from during scheduled maintenance closures.

Updates will be available from www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/M53-Moreton-East-and-South-Bridge-Strengthening-Scheme, www.highways.gov.uk/traffic or @HighwaysNWEST