Work will start today to demolish and replace a 50-year old bridge over junction 2 of the M53.

Four giant remote-controlled transporters will remove the 800-tonne structure – which carries the southbound entry slip road over the motorway – during the first weekend of the 11-month project. It will be slid along the motorway to an area where it can be safely broken up.

Unless the bridge is replaced, said Highways England, then restrictions would have to be put in place for HGVs.

Mangat Bansal, Highways England’s programme delivery manager in the North West, said: “The bridge over the M53 near Moreton has carried hundreds of thousands of vehicles over the past 50 years so has served drivers well, but it’s now showing its age and needs to be replaced. It’s going to be a pretty incredible sight watching the bridge being slid along the motorway, and using the transporters means we can safely.”