M4 Upgrade to smart motorway Junctions 3 to 12
Information exhibitions July 2018 About smart motorways
Smart motorways are a technology All lane running driven approach to the use of our The hard shoulder will be motorways, increasing capacity permanently converted into a new gantries and relieving congestion while traffi c lane. maintaining safety. new signals Drivers should obey all signs, new CCTV cameras Smart motorways help make including speed limits and lane closure instructions and should traffic monitoring emergency areas journey times more reliable, at radar detector less cost than traditional widening not stop on the motorway schemes, meaning better value for except in an emergency. message signs the tax payer. Emergency areas
Key features of a smart motorway There will be highly visible include: emergency areas.
Variable mandatory speed limits There will be an emergency speed limit telephone in each emergency enforcement camera Speed limits will be set to area. smooth traffi c fl ows. lower noise surfacing This will connect you to The limits will be clearly signs Highways England’s Regional displayed on overhead gantries Control Centres and will concrete barriers and roadside signs. pinpoint your location.
Signs will be used to inform under carriageway ducts technology ducting drivers of conditions on the network and when variable speed limits are in place.
It is important for drivers to understand the different types of technology and features used on smart motorways M4 junctions 3 to 12 Key changes to the motorway
The M4 is the main strategic route All lane running Bridge works between London, the west of Between junctions 3 and 12 the To accommodate the new smart England and Wales. It connects hard shoulder will be converted motorway: people, communities and to a traffi c lane, so that there are businesses, carrying on average 11 bridges carrying local traffi c four lanes available for use by 130,000 vehicles per day and is over the motorway will need road users. Between junctions 4 prone to congestion. demolition and replacement. and 4b, there will be fi ve lanes. Where a hard shoulder does not 4 bridges that carry the Highways England will be currently exist, the motorway will motorway over roads, railways improving the M4 between be adapted to create a minimum and rivers will need widening. junction 3 at Hayes and junction 12 of four lanes. The barrier in the 2 subways under the motorway at Theale by upgrading it to a central reservation will be replaced will also need lengthening. smart motorway. by a new concrete barrier. Emergency areas This means there will be: Through junction running There will be new high visibility An additional lane for traffi c This enables a consistent number emergency areas between increasing capacity to reduce The M4 junctions 3 to 12 project of lanes to pass through the junctions 3 and 12. Places of congestion. has received planning permission junction, reducing the need to relative safety will be every 1.12 through the Development Consent More technology on the road change lane for vehicles staying miles on average and no more Order (DCO) process. Following to smooth fl ows and manage on the motorway. Through-junction than 1.6 miles apart. If you are a statutory consultation, it was incidents. running will be in place at junctions driving at 60mph you will pass one granted consent in September More reliable journeys. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8/9 and 11 and at the approximately once a minute. 2016. Since then we have been Reading motorway service area. working on detailed design and planning construction. Work on the motorway will start in summer 2018 and is expected to be completed in spring 2022. When will the work start?
This is the longest smart motorway project in England to date (51km, 32 miles). To minimise disruption A40 N to our customers we will need M40 4 lane smart motorway A404 to work on different stages at 5 lane smart motorway A40 M25 different times. A406 11 Through junction running Hillingdon A40 12 No through junction running Maidenhead Our current intention for the Slough A308(M) M4 Hayes Southall Ealing A404(M) 6 phasing of construction, is to start 8/9 4 M4 7 5 4b 3 at junctions 8 to 9 and progress A4 Twyford Windsor M4 Heathrow west towards junction 10. In Airport London M4 Hounslow tandem we will start work on four Reading A30 M4 Feltham A316 bridges between junctions 8 to 9 A3290 12 A308 and junction 7. The more complex A33 10 Egham Theale A329(M) M25 section of the scheme, M4 Bracknell A308 11 Wokingham M3 progressing east from junctions 8 to 9 towards junction 3, will be Surbiton A332 M3 started in May 2019. Weybridge A33 M25
Camberley A3 A243 GFD18_0125 © Crown copyright and database rights 2018 OS 100030649
Motorway Link J12 - 11 J11 - 10 J10 - 8/9 J8/9 - 6 J6 - 5 J5 - 4b J4b - 3
Start May 20 May 20 Sept 18 May 191 Dec 19 Oct 19 Jan 20 Finish Feb 22 Jan 22 May 20 Dec 21 Mar 22 Mar 22 Mar 22 Notes:
1. Mobilisation work to 4 structures in Timetable subject to governance, funding Progress updates will be provided on the junctions 8/9-7 link will also start in late autumn approval and discharge of the DCO. Highways England website throughout 2018. the delivery. What to do if you break down Safety, red sign and incidents
If you need to stop in an We use a red symbol to show Incident management is controlled emergency on a smart motorway: that a lane is closed because of an by teams in our control centres: incident or people working on the Use an emergency area and Incidents will be detected by road: the emergency telephone. traffi c sensors, CCTV or calls This provides access for from the public. If you can, leave the motorway emergency services. at a motorway service area, or The control centre will set the next junction. signs to protect incidents You will see red symbols on a gantry sign over the and clear an access route If you have to stop in a live lane: motorway or on a gantry sign for emergency vehicles. Put your hazard warning lights at the side of the motorway. Control centre staff will monitor on to help other drivers see traffi c conditions throughout Driving in a lane with a red you and help our control room each incident, ensure signs are symbol is dangerous and staff spot you on CCTV. set to manage traffi c, and will drivers must not use it. If you are in the left hand lane reopen lanes as soon as it is and it is safe to do so, exit safe to do so. the vehicle via the left hand door. Wait behind the barrier if possible. If you cannot exit the vehicle, do not feel it is safe to do so or there is no other place of relative safety, remain in the vehicle. Keep your seat belt on and dial 999.
As soon as Highways England is alerted, our Regional Control Centre will close lanes to protect you and your vehicle until help arrives. Considerate Bridge works Find out more construction You can fi nd out more about the plans for junctions 3 to 12 at these exhibitions. Highways England and the design and construction teams We will need to set up a number Much of the M4 was originally built will be available to discuss the scheme and answer your questions. of construction compounds along as a two-lane dual carriageway, the M4. and has been upgraded over the years. Eleven bridges over the Drop by to meet the team* During construction, narrow lanes motorway need to be replaced to and reduced speed restrictions will make room for a new lane where Venue Date Time be put in place to create a smooth there is no existing hard shoulder. Holyport War Memorial Hall, Holyport, Saturday and safe fl ow of traffi c through 10:00 - 13:00 Maidenhead. SL6 2NA 07/07/2018 the works and to protect workers. To limit local disruption, new Sindlesham Court, Sindlesham, Wednesday Additionally, traffi c management bridges will be built next to the 15:00 - 20:00 Wokingham. RG41 5EA 11/07/2018 barriers will be needed. Three existing ones, before the old one Dorney Village Hall, Dorney Reach, Thursday narrow lanes will be available for is demolished. However, where 14:00 - 19:00 road users during peak hours. there is not enough space for this, Maidenhead. SL6 0DS 12/07/2018 some bridges will be demolished Theale Village Hall, Theale, Reading. Friday Wherever possible, noisier works 15:00 - 20:00 fi rst, then a new bridge built in the RG7 5AS 13/07/2018 will be undertaken during daytime same place. The Nicholsons Centre, Nicholsons Monday hours to reduce disturbance. Core 14:00 - 19:00 Lane, Maidenhead. SL6 1LB 16/07/2018 working hours will be from 08:00 Where the motorway passes over, The Oracle Shopping Centre, Thursday to 19:00 on weekdays (excluding for example, the River Thames 09:00 - 20:00 Reading. RG1 2AG 19/07/2018 bank holidays) and from 07:00 to at Bray and the railway line to *July 2018 exhibitions are taking place around M4 junctions 7 to 12 where construction on this scheme will 16:00 on Saturdays. Windsor, we will need to widen start. Further engagement will take place around junctions 3 to 7 in due course. structures to support the new There will be temporary closures smart motorway. Mailing Address: of the carriageway and slip roads Our contact M4 J3-12 Smart Motorway at night on some occasions. In Some weekend closures will be details Highways England these instances the closure will required for bridge works. Full 5 St Philip’s Place be advertised, and advance details will be communicated and Phone: 0300 123 5000 Birmingham B3 2PW warning signs and clearly signed posted on our web page well in Email: diversions will be put in place. advance. Project web page: M4J3to12SmartMotorways@ www.highwaysengland.co.uk/ highwaysengland.co.uk m4j3to12 If you need help accessing this or any other Highways England information, please call 0300 123 5000 and we will help you.
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