National Highways is warning road users that the date the M4 will be closed between Bath and Bristol this month has changed.
A CGI image of how the new bridge over the M4 will look | Image © Highways England
The M4 had been due to close to traffic in both directions between Junction 18 (Bath) and Junction 19 (the M32 interchange) from 7pm on Friday 10th October to 6am on Monday 13th October to allow for eight steel beams to be lifted into place for the new A432 Badminton Road Bridge.
However, due to a delay in producing the beams, the motorway will now be closed from 7pm on Friday 24th October to 6am on Monday 27th October instead.
Used by around 16,000 vehicles a day, the Badminton Road Bridge linking Bristol and Yate had been closed to traffic since the summer of 2023 after extensive cracking was discovered.
The overbridge was demolished in March 2025, with the M4 closed over a weekend in both directions for the work to take place.
The motorway also had to be closed for a weekend last October to allow for utilities in the bridge to be diverted under the motorway.
With between 3,000 and 4,000 vehicles using this section of motorway every hour during peak weekend periods, National Highways warns people to again expect “substantial disruption” and to avoid the area where possible.
Sean Walsh, route manager for National Highways, said: “Whilst the delay is regrettable, we are working at pace to reopen the A432 as soon as possible, and we don’t anticipate this will have a delay on the overall programme of works.”
If you’re travelling westbound:
- Leave the M4 at Junction 18 and join the A46 towards Bath
- Take the A420 towards Warmley at the A46/A420 junction past Pennsylvania
- Join the A4174 towards the M32 at the A420/A4174 junction in Warmley
- Connect to the M4 at Junction 19 via M32 Junction 1
If you’re travelling eastbound, follow the same diversion in the opposite direction.
Drivers are urged to follow diversion signs and not satnavs.
The work will depend on good weather, and drivers are advised that if the work can’t be done that weekend, the closure will be rearranged to the following weekend (Friday 31st October to Monday 3rd November).
The new bridge is due to open to the public in early 2026.
At 46.5 metres in length and 20 metres wide, it will span eight lanes of motorway but will be slightly wider.
This is to ensure the road lanes and pavements are wide enough to meet today’s safety standards. The barriers along the sides are higher to keep people walking and cycling safer.
The cost of the project has yet to be confirmed.
