Anyone driving north through Cumbria during the evening of Thursday 3 or Friday 4 September 2026 needs to plan for a major M6 closure.
National Highways is closing the M6 northbound between Junction 36 and Junction 39 overnight while it repairs potholes and resurfaces the carriageway at Borrowbeck.
Closure times
- Thursday 3 September: 8pm to 6am Friday
- Friday 4 September: 8pm to 6am Saturday
The southbound M6 is not included in this particular closure.
Official diversion
Northbound traffic will leave at Junction 36 and follow the signed route via the A590, A591, A5284 / Windermere Road, A6 and B6261, rejoining the motorway at Junction 39.
Lake District impact
Traffic heading north towards Penrith, Carlisle and Scotland will face the full diversion. Visitors bound for Kendal, Windermere or the southern Lake District may already leave near Junction 36, but diverted motorway traffic is likely to make the A590, A591 and Kendal approaches busier than normal.
Advice
- Pass Junction 36 before 8pm if practical.
- Allow substantially more time if travelling during the closure.
- Follow the signed diversion rather than using narrow rural shortcuts.
- Check National Highways on the day because closure plans can change at short notice.
Work around Tebay
From Monday 7 September, maintenance is also due on bridge structures at Tebay and Borrowbeck and is expected to continue until the end of November, subject to weather, river levels and operational requirements.
Tebay footpath closure
A separate 350-metre section of Westmorland and Furness Footpath 367024 south of Tebay is closed from 10 August to 30 September 2026 while temporary working platforms are constructed beside the River Lune.
Before travelling
National Highways says closures can change at short notice. Recheck the official M6 Lune Gorge project page and live closure information before setting off.
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