MOTORISTS are being warned that the M4 will be closed for a full weekend as works continue to demolish and replace a major bridge near Yate.
National Highways say the closure - taking place in two weeks - is so that work can be completed before the A432 Badminton Road bridge is demolished next year.
The M4 will be closed in both directions between junctions 18 and 19 from 7pm Friday, October 18 to Monday, October 21 at 6am while a trench is dug under the motorway as part of works on the bridge.
With 3,000 to 4,000 vehicles using this section of the M4 every hour over peak weekend periods the closure is likely to cause substantial disruption, and drivers are advised, where possible, to avoid the area and plan journeys for alternative times.
It was announced last year that the overbridge at A432 Badminton Road, over the M4 between Yate and Bristol which previously closed due to safety concerns, was set to be demolished and replaced by a new bridge.
The demolition date was planned for this summer or autumn, but it won't be knocked down until March next year, months after the original date, with works scheduled for completion in spring 2026.
Thornbury and Yate MP Claire Young recently wrote to the under secretary of state for local transport saying that the ongoing closure at the bridge 'was having a huge impact on residents and nearby businesses.'
National Highways route manager Sean Walsh said: “This is one of the busiest sections of motorway in the South West which is why we are giving drivers as much notice as possible so they’re able to plan their journeys well in advance.
“We carefully plan our schemes to limit any inconvenience, but sometimes it's not possible to carry out the work that's needed without a closure.
"Our message for anyone who plans to travel on the M4 around Bristol is to avoid the area if you can – if that's not possible, allow yourself plenty of extra time to complete your journey via our signed diversion routes and expect delays.”
Constructed in 1966, the Badminton Road bridge is a concrete post tensioned structure.
In July 2023, a planned detailed structural investigation revealed accelerated deterioration and cracking to the southeast underside of the structure and the bridge was closed to traffic.
Having considered the options, demolishing and replacing the existing structure was deemed by National Highways as the quickest and most economical approach.
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