Lane restrictions along a stretch of the M1 through Leicestershire that have been in place for 12 months are being removed.

The narrow lanes between junction 21 and the Leicester Forest East service station on the motorway will be re-opened to all traffic following the installation of the new bridge spanning the road.

Overnight road closures, from 8pm to 6am, are needed to ensure the safety of workers removing the restrictions.

The closures will be between junction 21 at Leicester and 22 at Markfield:

• M1 southbound – Saturday, 9 July to Sunday, 10 July
• M1 northbound – Sunday, 10 July to Monday, 11 July

Councillor Peter Osborne, Leicestershire County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said:

“The installation of the new bridge has marked an important stage of this project and now we are able to fully open all lanes of the motorway to all traffic now that people are no longer working along the carriageway.

“I’d like to thank everyone for their patience while this work has been carried out, and look forward to the final phases of work to install the road on the new bridge, a key part in helping to deliver the new development.”

The narrow lanes were introduced in June 2015 while work to install a new bridge across the motorway to link Thorpe Astley with the new development at New Lubbesthorpe was carried out.

The bridge has been funded thanks to £5m from the Department for Transport’s Local Pinchpoint Fund and money from the New Lubbesthorpe developers.

Work to remove the cones and additional signs still in place on the M1 will be carried out overnight at the weekend to reduce disruption to motorists.

Diversion routes for local journeys include the A563, Leicester outer ring road, and the A50. Motorists travelling from further afield will be directed onto the M6 or M69, and M42/A42.