Highways Agency

The Project

We carry out essential maintenance works on the M4 between junctions 1 and 3 every six weeks, with the eastbound carriageway closed the first Monday -Thursday and the westbound carriageway closed the following week. Full closures are required on the grounds of safety as the width of the carriageway does not permit sufficient safety zones for most of the works carried out. It would therefore not safe for the workforce to be working on the elevated section with one lane open.

The work undertaken is extensive and includes the following:

• Sweeping of the hard shoulder/verge and the central reserve.
• Litter picking
• Gully cleaning
• Lighting repairs
• Communications systems repairs (this includes the roadside telephones, cctv cameras, gantries etc.)
• Barrier repairs and repairs to all other damage resulting from accidents
• Survey of the structural joints and subsequent repairs as required
• Structural surveys
• Carriageway repairs
• Sign cleaning
• Re-lining of the lane markings etc.

Every effort is made to reduce the disruption to the travelling public. Advance warning signs are displayed two weeks prior to each cycle of closures. Signing on the night of the closures divert traffic along the A4. Work is completed as soon as practicable and whenever possible closures later in the week are cancelled.

The current system of works has developed over a long period with the assistance of the Metropolitan Police. Other systems have been considered, however they would all result in greater disruption, a reduction in safety to both the travelling public and the workforce and a less reliable cycle of closures.