A MAJOR motorway used by 130,000 drivers every day is set to close in both directions next week.
National Highways has urged motorists to plan ahead after confirming the closure of a major motorway next week.
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The M4 will be closed in both directions between junction 18 and 19 from 7pm October 18 to 6am October 21.
The disruption is planned due to maintenance work on the A432 Badminton Road Bridge.
Fortunately, a diversion route will be in place, but drivers are warned to expect major congestion.
However, officials have advised motorists to avoid the area if possible while the work is being done.
The Badminton Bridge is set to be demolished next year after an investigation found irreparable damage to the structure.
Officials revealed that demolition was considered the quickest and most economical approach.
During the closure, workers will build trenches beneath the motorway to divert utilities currently within the bridge.
If the planned work isn’t completed within the given timeframe, drivers could face another set of M4 closures from 7pm on October 25 to 6am on October 28.
Sean Walsh, National Highways route manager, said: “This is one of the busiest sections of the motorway in the South West which is why we are giving drivers as much notice as possible so they’re able to plan their journeys well in advance.
“Our message for anyone who plans to travel on the M4 around Bristol is to avoid the area if you can – if that’s not possible, allow yourself plenty of extra time to complete your journey via our signed diversion routes and expect delays.”
However, it isn’t just the M4 that is causing headaches for motorists.
A crucial motorway used by 75,000 drivers every day closed in both directions this weekend.
The mass shutdown which started earlier this week is part of a programme of maintenance works which are expected to last as long as six months.
The M5 is a vital artery of the road network, connecting the Midlands with the South West and linking up with other motorways to access London, Wales and Nottingham.
Directions from M4 junction 18 to M4 junction 19
Directions from M4 junction 18 to M4 junction 19 are as follows:
- M4 junction 18
- A46
- A420
- Deanery Road Roundabout
- Wick Wick Roundabout
- Bromley Heath Roundabout
- M32 junction 1
- M32
- M4 junction 19
With the completed route approaching 50 years old, road bosses have ordered a programme of renewal this year.
National Highways is set to carry out “essential repairs” to the concrete layer on which the carriageway sits.
This requires them to strip away the surface layers to access the base before resurfacing afterwards.
Where work is carried out, the road will have to be closed fully in both directions at different times, with diversions put in place where possible.
The repairs began last month and will continue in several rounds across the next six months.
It comes after Brit drivers were warned over ignoring a common road sign on smart motorways – with over 50,000 such incidents recorded since 2021.
And motorists have been left shocked after being stung by £8,000 fines every day on a smart motorway with a 60mph limit.
M4 motorway facts and figures
Length
The M4 is 189 miles long.
Route
The M4 runs from Chiswick to Pont Abraham in Carmarthenshire, passing through major cities and towns, including Reading, Bristol, Cardiff and Swansea.
Traffic
The M4 carries an average of 130,000 vehicles per day and is prone to congestion, making it one of the busiest motorways in the UK.
Smart Motorway
The M4 has several sections that are smart motorways, including:
- Junctions 19–20: This section north of Bristol has variable speed limits and a part-time hard shoulder.
- Junctions 24–29: This section in Newport has a permanent 50 mph limit and average speed cameras.
- Junctions 3–12: This 32-mile section is the longest smart motorway scheme in the UK. It includes lower noise surfacing, new gantries, new signals, new CCTV cameras, and more.
Emergency areas
There are 59 places to stop in an emergency, including hard shoulder sections and junction slip roads.
Motorway-to-motorway interchanges
The M4 has the UK record of five consecutive motorway-to-motorway interchanges.
