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Hard shoulder to be used as fourth lane on M4 during peak times





The project, estimated to cost between £525m and £720m, will introduce four lanes on the congested section of the M4 between junctions three and 12 by using the hard shoulder as an additional lane during peak times.
The announcement came as part of the Government’s annual spending review last week, as part of a £70b transport programme across the country.
The news was welcomed by the MP for Reading West, Alok Sharma, who said: “I am absolutely delighted to welcome the commitment by the Conservative-led government to widen the M4 between Reading and London which, as most Reading motorists will know, is one of the most congested parts of the motorway network in the country.”
The scheme will also see the introduction of emergency refuge areas and telephones, as well as variable speed limits to make the M4 a ‘managed motorway’.
The project will follow lane widening on the A4 at Calcot, which is expected to begin next summer, along with a new fire service headquarters off of junction 12.
However, West Berkshire’s district councillor for Theale, Alan Macro, said that the information was a ‘bit misleading’ as it implied lane widening rather than use of the hard shoulder.
“At the moment if there is an accident then emergency services can use the hard shoulder to get to it quickly. Until we get a local fire station we sometimes rely on fire crews from Whitley, near junction 11. The use of the hard shoulder will mean they cannot get to it as quick.
“It might also add to the congestion as if you allow more traffic to flow through then more will come.”
Work is set to commence during the next spending review period after 2015 - subject to feasibility tests and economic conditions.



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