More disruption for motorists as A34 northbound closes this weekend

WEST Berkshire motorists still reeling from last weekend's delays and closures will be hit with yet more disruption on the A34 this weekend.
From 10pm tonight (Fri) until 6am on Monday November 25, there will be a full weekend closure of the northbound carriageway from M4 Junction 13, with 68 mile detours in place that will add a minimum of one hour to journey times.
For the northbound closures - travelling northbound from Newbury and following the official diversion route - motorists will be able to get as far as the M4 interchange at Chieveley before being sent eastbound on the M4 to Maidenhead, where they will join the M404 northbound, onto the A404 where they will eventually reach the M40.
There will be the same reverse route in place for southbound journeys, while villages including Chieveley and Beedon will be able to be accessed via Graces Lane and Oxford Road.
A secondary route, for motorway restricted vehicles such as learner drivers, buses and cyclists,will have to follow a signed route between Speen and Milton (A4130), via Hungerford and Wantage (A338).
The closures are to allow the refurbishment of the College Farm bridge, which carries the A34 over the local road at Beedon.
Thames Valley Police is warning drivers that the A34 southbound will be severely disrupted from 7pm on Friday (22/11) as an abnormal load is transported from Didcot Power Station.
Over the weekend (22-24 November) a transformer from the power station is being carried to Avonmouth Docks. It will be carried on a girder trailer with three tractors, one pulling and two pushing. The overall dimensions will be approx 4.87m wide, 4.98m high, 89.67m long and 637.80 tonnes gross weight.
The convoy, which will take up both lanes of the southbound carriageway, will travel at a maximum speed of 10mph and will effectively close the southbound A34 from Didcot to the M4 Junction 13 in the section that it is travelling on. Over the weekend it will travel along the M4 westbound, also causing delays.
Police are advising motorists to seek alternative routes.
Anyone with any queries about the abnormal load is asked to contact Thames Valley Police on the non-emergency number 101 quoting URN 509 21/11/13.
More information on the northbound closures is available from the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000 or by emailing on i

or on the scheme webpage at

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