Update from National Highways”Unfortunately, weather conditions last weekend while we had the M48 bridge closed (25 and 26 June) meant we weren’t able to complete all the necessary works to lift the gantries into place on the support trestles, as it wouldn’t have been safe to do so. As such, weather permitting, a further full closure of the M48 Severn Bridge will be taking place this weekend, from 7pm on Friday 1 July until 6am on Monday 4 July. During the full closure, diversion routes will be in place across the M4 Prince of Wales bridge. The eastbound foot and cycle path will remain open. We weren’t able to safely complete the crane lifting operations to move the gantry platforms from the lorries on the carriageway onto the support trestles due to high winds during the closure. We did however make some good progress, including the installation of gantry support trestles and temporary barriers on the westbound carriageway, removal of redundant electrical cables on the suspension cable at areas critical to the project and removal of lighting columns in close proximity to gantry access platforms. Keep up to date with the works You can keep up to date with the works and read the latest update here: Getting in touch with National Highways If you would like more information about this work, please contact the National Highways Customer Contact Centre on 0300 123 5000 open 24/7, who will direct your enquiry to the most appropriate person, or email: info@highwaysengland.co.uk For information on all of our works in the South West please follow us on Twitter @HighwaysSWEST” 13/6/22 – M48 Severn Bridge cable inspection works starting 22nd June 2022 until Jan 2023 In order to ensure that structures on the Strategic Road Network in England are kept in good condition and remain safe for the public who use them, National Highways need to conduct regular checks to monitor how they are performing and repair any damage that is found. One of these structures is the Severn Bridge carrying the M48 over the River Severn, where we are required to inspect the suspension cables.To carry out these cable inspections and to ensure the safety of both the travelling public and our workforce, long-term lane closures will be put in place. The inspection works will involve the closure of one lane westbound from the 22 June 2022 until around January 2023, and one eastbound starting from July 2022 until around November 2022, with the overall programme of works lasting for around eight months. During the period of lane closures, vehicles over 2.9 metres wide will be prohibited from using the M48 Severn Bridge, and the bridge will also be closed totally over three weekends to enable the lifting of the inspection gantries to a high level on the suspension cable. We will communicate these well in advance. The first full closure is planned for the weekend of 25 and 26 June, with motorists being diverted across the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge. To minimise any future disruption, maintenance work will also be undertaken during the closures, including refurbishment and maintenance of many bridge expansion joints, carriageway surfacing repairs, reinstatement of some under bridge gantry bogies and wheels, sweeping and litter picking, blasting and painting of parapets and lighting column bases, weld repairs, carriageway inspections, and gulley and drain cleaning.The full details and press release can be found here.To follow the progress of the works and to keep up to date, please visit this webpage.National Highways “We will make every effort to ensure the impact on the local community and travelling public is kept to a minimum. We always aim to work to the programme, however unforeseen circumstances or adverse weather conditions may mean changes to it.”If you would like more information about this work, please contact the National Highways Customer Contact Centre on 0300 123 5000 open 24/7, who will direct your enquiry to the most appropriate person, or email.For information on all of our works in the South West please follow us on Twitter @HighwaysSWEST
