M4 near Swindon to close overnight and cut speed limits after landslide

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 21 Oct, 14:29 · Archive

National Highways will close the M4 near Swindon overnight and impose a 50mph speed limit for four months to repair a landslide-damaged embankment.

A landslide earlier this year made part of the eastbound hard shoulder of the M4 between Junctions 16 and 17 near Swindon unusable. National Highways will now begin work to stabilise 600 metres of embankment and bring the hard shoulder back into use.

Contractors MJ Church will move around 25,000 tonnes of earth and other material, then backfill with 19,500 tonnes of stone sourced from a nearby quarry. This stabilisation work must be completed before scheduled bridge repairs begin in autumn 2027.

Full westbound closures between junctions 16 and 17 will take place from 8pm to 6am on 12 and 13 November. HGVs will be diverted via Cirencester and Malmesbury, with separate routes in place for other vehicles. Overnight lane closures will also be carried out eastbound, along with daytime hard shoulder closures for vegetation and utilities work.

After the initial closures, two westbound lanes will remain open under a temporary 50mph speed limit until 17 February. National Highways expects the traffic management to add only two minutes to journey times.

The wider £20m improvement scheme includes an upgrade of 1.3 miles of safety barrier and refurbishment of four bridges that carry the M4 over two roads at Brinkworth and Grittenham, the Swindon to Bristol railway line, and a farm access road.

How it is being reported

• M4 to be shut and speed limits put in place after landslideOvernight closures and a temporary 50mph speed limit will be carried out on part of the M4 near Swindon during a major improvement scheme.Wiltshire Times · 21 Oct, 14:09
• M4 to be shut and speed limits put in place after landslideOvernight closures and a temporary 50mph speed limit will be carried out on part of the M4 near Swindon during a major improvement scheme.Gazette & Herald · 21 Oct, 14:09
• M4 to be shut and speed limits put in place after landslideOvernight closures and a temporary 50mph speed limit will be carried out on part of the M4 near Swindon during a major improvement scheme.Swindon Advertiser · 21 Oct, 14:09

In this story: National Highways · MJ Church · Swindon · M4 · Cirencester · Malmesbury

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