New M4 bridge reopening will be a 'huge relief'

4 hours ago

News image — The A432 Badminton Road bridge will open to pedestrians and cyclists from 19 June and all vehicles on 20 June

National Highways Image from a drone showing a motorway with a number of cars and lorries driving along it, a car park and building works. In the centre of the image is a new bridge under construction. — The A432 Badminton Road bridge will open to pedestrians and cyclists from 19 June and all vehicles on 20 June

A new multi-million pound bridge across "one of the busiest stretches" of the M4 motorway is to open to traffic this summer.

The A432 Badminton Road overbridge in South Gloucestershire closed in July 2023, when cracking and deterioration were found during a routine inspection.

The new bridge is set to open to pedestrians and cyclists first from 19 June and to all vehicles from 07:00 BST on 20 June.

National Highways, said the new bridge has been built "much faster than usual for a project of this size", while South Gloucestershire Council said it will be a "huge relief" to everyone affected by the closure.

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Built in 1966, Badminton Road bridge used to take about 16,000 vehicles a day.

But after the bridge's immediate closure by National Highways it was decided that demolishing it and replacing it with a new bridge would be the quickest and most economical way forward.

Sean Walsh, from National Highways, said the new structure will make a "significant and positive difference" to people's journeys.

"Since we announced the old bridge needed to be demolished, the team have worked incredibly hard to deliver this project in just two and half years," he said, adding this was half the time it would normally take.

The new structure is 46.5m (152ft) long and 20m (65ft) wide.

National Highways An image of a new bridge, with trees and a building in the background. — The new bridge as been reconnected to the road network on either side of the M4

Maggie Tyrrell, leader of South Gloucestershire Council and Ian Boulton, co-leader, said in a joint statement it is not only a "vital route" between Yate and Bristol but its reopening means "local communities along it are reconnected".

"It is important to recognise the scale of what has been achieved," the statement said.

"The decision to demolish and rebuild the bridge was unplanned, and every aspect of this project – from design through to delivery – had to be developed from a standing start and a blank page.

"We would like to thank residents, businesses and road users for their patience and understanding while this significant and essential piece of infrastructure has been rebuilt."

To complete the works, the M4 will be closed overnight in both directions between junctions 18 and 19 from 5 May through to 9 May and from 1 June to 6 June.

There will also be lane closures in both directions from 8 June to 13 June.

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