A COUPLE making their way to Bristol for a birthday theatre trip have spoken of their annoyance at the way the aftermath of a major fire was handled after finding themselves at a standstill for three hours.

Mike Windscheffel, 69, from Eldene, was on his way to Bristol on Thursday, February 23 with wife Wendy when they got caught up in the aftermath of the fire that had broken out on a car transporter near Junction 17 for Chippenham earlier that day.

Firefighters from Westlea, Swindon, Royal Wootton Bassett, Ramsbury and Chippenham were called to tackle the blaze, which destroyed the transporter and its cargo, although the driver is thought to have escaped unscathed.

Recovery of the burnt-out vehicles and the transporter continued into the evening rush hour, with Highways England having to resurface a fire-damaged 50-metre section of lane 1 and the hard shoulder overnight.

But the initial closure of both carriageways following the outbreak of the fire at around 10am prompted long delays on the westbound carriageway, even after one of the lanes were reopened.

Mr Windscheffel joined the M4 westbound at Junction 15 shortly after 3.30pm, thinking he had plenty of time to get to Bristol for the performance, having bought the tickets for his wife’s birthday back in December. But once he passed Junction 16 at West Swindon he found himself in a car park.

“We found the whole motorway was blocked on all lanes and at a complete standstill,” he said. “It took me and my wife three more whole hours to reach where the accident took place.

“Well by this time, 6.45pm, the show started at 7.30, I knew that we were going to miss the show in Bristol. The traffic by now was so bad, cars were parked with their engines and lights off, folks were having to leave cars to relieve themselves.

“Why, oh why, couldn't they have left two lanes open and let the traffic flow? When we eventually passed the accident site everything seemed under control, as it should have been when this accident happened approximately eight hours earlier.

"One birthday present ruined by poor management of the traffic.”

Highways England operations manager Christian Morgan said: “Following any incidents on the strategic road network, Highways England always endeavours to reopen carriageways as soon as it is safe to do so.

“In the case of the car transporter fire on the M4, lanes 1 and 2 had to be closed to enable safe removal of the nine burnt-out vehicles and the transporter, and subsequent essential safety work to repair the fire-damaged carriageway.

“We worked hard to make motorists aware of the delays, and advised drivers to allow extra time and consider their journeys, via the live Highways England traffic information website www.highways.gov.uk/traffic-information, the media, and Variable Message Signs between junctions 15 and 16 and also further afield.”