A new lightweight 'plastic' bridge has been installed over the M6 motorway in Lancashire, which the Highways Agency says has allowed rapid construction and reduced disruption.
The fibre-reinforced polymer bridge is two-thirds the weight of the old bridge, but 'stronger and offers cost savings through reduced maintenance in the future'. FRP is the first major new construction material since the introduction of reinforced concrete 100 years ago.
It is the first time the Highways Agency has used FRP for road bridge construction on the motorway network, but the technique has been used on footbridges.