A6 Closures: Get Your Car Ready for the Detour

A6 works at Irthlingborough viaduct keep changing the roads around Corby. Here's the latest status plus practical tips to get your car detour-ready.

If you drive between Corby and the Irthlingborough area, you'll know the A6 viaduct works have been rumbling on for months. Diversions mean longer journeys, more stop-start driving, and extra strain on tyres, brakes and cooling systems. Getting your car checked before you're stuck in a queue is far better than finding a fault at the roadside.

What's happening on the A6

North Northamptonshire Council's Highways team continued upgrades to Station Road in Irthlingborough from Monday 10 August, with the road closed 24/7 until 6am that Monday for waterproofing works on the bridge. After that, three-way traffic lights were due to run during the day until Friday 28 August, with traffic signals coming into operation at the junction from Saturday 29 August, alongside resurfacing and signage improvements. Further overnight closures were also planned in the same window for bridge joint installation, pothole repairs and clearance work.

The scheme has run in phases since spring, with earlier full weekend closures followed by an extended 11-day closure at the end of July. Given how often dates have shifted, it's worth checking the council's website or local news before setting off if you rely on this route.

Why detours are hard on your car

Diversion routes often mean tighter bends, stop-start traffic, and roads your car isn't used to. A few things worth thinking about before a longer detour:

• Tyres – low tread or uneven pressure shows up fast on unfamiliar roads with sharper cornering.
• Brakes – extra queuing and braking wears pads quicker than a normal commute.
• Cooling system – stop-start traffic in warm weather puts more load on the engine than steady A-road driving.
• Warning lights – if something's flickered on the dash and you've been putting off a look, a longer or bumpier route is a good reason not to.

Getting ready before you set off

A quick pre-journey check covers tyre condition and pressure, fluid levels, and making sure nothing's due for attention. If your service or MOT is close, it makes sense to get it done before you're relying on a diversion rather than after something goes wrong on it.

Where we fit in

We're an independent garage on Maylan Road in Corby, working on cars and vans up to 3.5 tonnes, including electric and hybrid vehicles. If the A6 works have changed your route and you'd like a car checked over, our servicing and diagnostics team can take a look. Give us a call on 01536 261619 or drop by when it suits.

Prepared as locally relevant editorial content for human review before publication on the garage website.