33,000 vehicles are heading this way

10:50am Friday 29th August 2008

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MORE than 33,000 vehicles could be diverted through Swindon when the M4 motorway is closed so a bridge can be demolished.

The South Leaze bridge over the M4 between the two Swindon junctions – 15 and 16 – will come down in little over a week’s time.

The motorway will be closed in both directions and the closure could see 33,501 vehicles travelling through the town.

Figures from the Highways Agency show the average number of cars travelling eastbound between 8pm and 10am is 13,446 vehicles. During the same period an average 20,055 cars travelled westbound.

The M4 will be closed from 7pm on Saturday, September 6, until 10am on Sunday, September 7.

The existing concrete bridge is to be replaced in January with a new foot and equestrian bridge, which could see the motorway closed again.

“The existing structure was built in 1971, and, is showing signs of reaching the end of its life,” said Highways Agency project manager David Stock.

“Following the demolition in September, construction work on the replacement bridge will start in January in conjunction with maintenance work on the nearby Spittleborough Bridge.

“The work will be a repeat of the demolition and replacement of Blackhorse Bridge last year, which was a similar age and design.”

The £1.4m Blackhorse footbridge is near the Croft Road bridge, which links Swindon to Wroughton, was demolished in June 2007 because it restricted use of the hard shoulder.

The new bridge allowed the hard shoulder to be fully used by all vehicles for emergencies and for road maintenance.

Robin Miller, a spokesman for the Highways Agency, said: “This is an ideal time to do this sort of work.

“These hours are at a quiet time with less heavy traffic.

“Traffic will be diverted when it dies down.

“There are a number of bridges along the M4 which are similar design and age which are reaching the end of the lives and there is a rolling programme of replacing them. “Subject to funding, the Highways Agency aims to replace one to two bridges a year.

“Spittleborough Bridge is the next one, planned early next year.”

When the overnight closures are in place diversions will be in place.

The Highways Agency are advising westbound traffic to leave the M4 at Junction 15, take the A419 to the Commonhead Roundabout, the A4259, A4312, B4289, B4006 and A3102 to rejoin at Junction 16.

Eastbound traffic will leave at Junction 16 and follow the same diversion in the opposite direction.

The Highways Agency have said they will contact Scottish and Southern Energy again to find out if a further overnight closure on the M4 will go ahead.

So far the electricity company hasn’t set a date for work to be carried out on replacing overhead power cables between junctions 15 and 16.

If the work does go ahead it will be from a Saturday night into Sunday morning.