Busy motorway used by 130k drivers daily to be hit by overnight closures sparking commuter chaos – check your route
DRIVERS are bracing for a week of closures on a busy motorway that is typically used by 130,000 vehicles every day.
Major roadworks are scheduled to take place and may cause travel issues for commuters - mere weeks before Christmas.
Motorists that use the M4 through Wiltshire face a string of lane closures with roadworks popping up in batches along the carriageway.
Set to take place between Chippenham and Bath, the works will include repairs to the carriageway and barriers, as well as updates to roadway’s technology.
Most of the scheduled closures will take place overnight in a bid to reduce disruption, although some delays are still expected on both the eastbound and westbound carriageways.
Closures in some sections begin on Tuesday, December 10, and in some cases will run until Sunday, December 15.
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Upcoming roadworks on the M4
- M4 eastbound between junction 18 and junction 17, lane closure for barriers - between 8pm and 6am from December 10 to December 14, slight delays
- M4 eastbound, junction 18 to junction 17, hard shoulder closure for barriers - from 6am on December 11 to 8pm on December 13, slight delays
- M4 westbound, junction 14 to junction 15, lane closure for technology work - from 8pm on December 12 to 6am on December 13, slight delays
- M4 westbound, junction 17 to 18, lane closures for carriageway repairs - between 9pm and 6am from December 13 to December 15, slight delays
The M4 isn't the only major motorway with closures set to come in either, with roadworks to plague the M25, M1, A1M, A405, and A414 in southern Hertfordshire until December 19.
This is due to safety repairs, maintenance, testing, and structure inspections.
This comes as the Lune Gorge bridge network in Cumbria is set to be renovated for the first time in 50 years, sparking a series of closures and long delays.
Preparations for the work are already underway and the "construction phase" could last several years.
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The route is made up of eight separate stretches of bridge, all of which are set to be affected.
The structures are responsible for carrying the M6 motorway across the gorge, which divides northern Lancashire and southern Cumbria.
Opening in 1970, the bridge has since seen a massive increase in traffic demand.
And elsewhere, drivers have been warned they don't even need to be inside their vehicle to break a serious driving law this Christmas.
As the festive season approaches, car owners are being encouraged to leave their keys at home if they’re thinking about getting into the spirit of things.
Officers who spot someone sitting in their car with the keys in the ignition, or even standing next to their vehicle car with the keys in their hand, may find themselves in big trouble.
In these circumstances, motorists can be prosecuted for drink-driving - serving as a reminder that Christmas partygoers should stay away from their cars.
