M4 Motorway to reopen
The M4 motorway in west London is on track to reopen on Thursday according to Transport Minister Mike Penning, who visited the site of repair works.
The motorway, which is a crucial road linking Heathrow Airport and central London was closed between junctions one and three on Saturday after a crack was found.
It is especially crucial that the route reopens quickly as it is vital for transporting visitors into the city for the Olympics starting on 27th July.
The closure of the motorway in both directions between Chiswick and Feltham has seen extra delays on the A40 and M40. Local roads in Hounslow and Brentford have also been affected.
Penning said that it will be ‘difficult’ plating the crack and that work will begin later. He said,
“Since the road closure, the new crack that was found in the early hours of Friday morning hasn’t grown.
“It was growing while the road was open. The technical experts have shown the plating that can be done to fix it.
“It’s really difficult because it’s a box section this time, not a straight back weld.
“I’m hoping they will start work on that this afternoon, plating it together, and as predicted right at the start we hope to have it open on Thursday morning.”
The M4 is a major road link from London to the West Country and Wales. The route is also a heavily used by commuters.
London Mayor Boris Johnson has urged the repairs to be completed “as speedily as possible”.
It is not the first time in recent months that there have been transport disruptions in and out of the capital. Just before Christmas, the Hammersmith Flyover, which is part of the same route in and out of the capital, was closed for five months after structural defects were found.
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