WORK is set to begin on a £500,000 scheme to reduce the flood risk to Junction 16 of the M4 next week. It will affect the westbound side of the motorway.

The work will take two months to complete and will result in some lane closures but Highways England, which recently changed its name from the Highways Agency, says it is necessary.

The work is due to start at the weekend. While it is being carried out drivers are being warned to expect possible delays in the area.

Project sponsor Chris Pope said: “We want to do everything we can to ensure this section of the M4 remains safe and reliable for many years to come and this investment in the drainage system will help us achieve that.

“Work has been planned to minimise disruption but we would advise road users to allow extra time to complete their journeys.”

The work, which will continue until the end of July, will require three narrow lanes to be put in place on three quarters of a mile on the westbound carriageway around Junction 16 and a 50mph temporary speed limit will be in operation for the safety of workers and road users.

On occasion it will be necessary to close the westbound slip roads at Junction 16 overnight and clearly signed diversion routes will be in place at these times, the agency said.

The first slip road closure is planned from 8pm on Sunday.

This work is separate from the planned multi-million pound upgrade of the key junction which is set to take place.

Last year the Government announced it was setting aside £7.2m for the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership to transform the junction in a bid to improve the flow of traffic.

Another £4.5m has been set aside to improve Junction 15.

The SWLEP is currently in the process of developing a business case for the plans before any work starts.

It is expected the case will be completed in the coming months with work set to start at some point next year.

If it goes ahead the plans propose to introduce a right-turn for Swindon Road traffic turning on to Hay Lane and a new, signal-controlled junction for traffic joining Hay Lane from Junction 16.

The M4 slip roads would be widened to four lanes, and capacity on the circulation carriageway on the Great Western Way approach would be increased.

In total Swindon has been allocated more than £90m from the Government’s Local Growth Fund for infrastructure projects in the coming years.

Included in them is a tunnel under the M4 to link Junction 16 with the Wichelstowe development.