THERE will be overnight closures on the M4 over the next two weeks as work continues on the Ebbw River Bridge.

Work began in May last year to strengthen the bridge, at the junction for Tredegar Park, and is expected to continue through until the autumn.

As well as strengthening the bridge, the £6 million project will see resurfacing and lining works to improve safety on this part of the motorway – over which around half a million journeys take place over the bridge each week.

South Wales Argus: Beams being positioned under the Ebbw River Bridge to strengthen it. Picture: Traffic Wales.Beams being positioned under the Ebbw River Bridge to strengthen it. Picture: Traffic Wales.

Now, Traffic Wales has confirmed that two lanes will be closed overnight on the westbound carriageway for four nights in the next two weeks.

Lanes one and two from junction 26 for Malpas to junction 28 for Tredegar Park will be closed from 8pm to 6am.

The closures will take place on Monday and Tuesday (July 4 and 5) this week, and again on Monday and Tuesday (July 11 and 12) next week.

Further closures of the motorway – this time on the eastbound carriageway – are expected to take place overnight on August 1, between junction 28 and junction 27 for High Cross.

In May, Traffic Wales released a timelapse video showing how the works had been progressing.

“The South Wales Trunk Road Agent (SWTRA) and their partners, WSP and Alun Griffiths Contractors have developed an innovative strengthening design and construction methodology which allows the bridge to be kept in service during construction,” said a Traffic Wales spokesperson said.

“This helps to minimise the number of closures needed and limits them to only take place overnight, which will reduce traffic disruption and improve road safety.”