M4 refurbishment to bring overnight and weekend closures
Work to refurbish the motorway between the Welford Viaduct and the Chieveley Interchange is expected to begin on January 5 and be finished by September 2015 as part of a two-phase £14m scheme.
Phase one will see lanes narrowed and a 50mph speed limit put in place, as well as overnight closures between junctions 12 (Theale) and 14 (Hungerford) from 9pm and 6am.
The first phase will begin in January and is expected to be completed in March.
However, this is just a precursor for occasional, full weekend closures of the Chieveley interchange and the M4 between the exit and entry slip roads at junction 13.
The dates of the weekend closures are yet to be announced but will be in place between 10pm on Fridays and 6am on Mondays.
A 24 hour contraflow system and a 50mph speed limit will remain in place from phase one. The second phase is expected to begin in April and be completed by September 2015.
The Highways Agency says that it expects significant delays during the weekend closures at Chieveley and is advising motorists to avoid the area or to allow extra times for journeys.
The following diversions will be in place during the closures:
A34 Southbound to M4 Westbound – Continue on the A34 southbound to Speen (A4), exit at the junction and travel west along the A4 to Hungerford, then north on the A338 to re-join the M4 at Junction 14 (adding a minimum of 15 minutes to journey times)
A34 Northbound to M4 Eastbound – From Newbury, travel east along the A4 towards Theale to re-join the M4 at Junction 12 (adding a minimum of 30 minutes to journey times)
M4 Eastbound to A34 Southbound – Continue along the M4 eastbound carriageway to Junction 12, circumnavigate the roundabout and join the M4 westbound carriageway back to Junction 13, take the first exit to access the A34 southbound carriageway (adding a minimum of 20 minutes to journey times)
M4 Westbound to A34 Northbound – Continue along the M4 westbound carriageway to Junction 14, circumnavigate the roundabout and join the M4 eastbound carriageway along to Junction 13, take the first exit to access the A34 northbound carriageway (adding a minimum of 15 minutes to journey times)