Citation and commencement

1.  This Order may be cited as the M4 Motorway (Prince of Wales Bridge) (Temporary Restriction and Prohibition of Traffic) Order 2024 and comes into force on 29th June 2024.

Interpretation

2.  In this Order—

“ contraflow” means a part of a carriageway of a road where traffic is authorised to proceed in the opposite direction to the usual direction of traffic on that part;

“ fifth length of carriageway” means—

“ first length of carriageway” means the eastbound carriageway of the M4 motorway from a point 1000 metres east of the eastern edge of Station Road overbridge to a point 2000 metres east of Station Road overbridge;

“ first works period” means each period of 9 hours starting at 21:00 hours on each day during the works period;

“ fourth length of carriageway” means the westbound carriageway of the M4 motorway from a point 192 metres west of the centre line of junction 22 of the M4 motorway to a point 740 metres east of the centre line of the bridge over the rail line to Severn Tunnel Junction;

“ hard shoulder” means the hard shoulder within the meaning of regulation 3(1)(e) of the Motorway Regulations, which is adjacent to the fifth length of carriageway;

“ Motorway Regulations” means the Motorways Traffic (England and Wales) Regulations 1982( 2);

“ outside lane” means the right hand or off side lane of a carriageway with 2 or more lanes;

“ overall width” has the meaning given in regulation 3(2) of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986( 3);

“ second length of carriageway” means—

“ second works period” means each period of 10 hours starting at 20:00 hours on each day during the works period;

“ third length of carriageway” means the eastbound carriageway of the M4 motorway from a point 740 metres east of the centre line of the bridge over the rail line to Severn Tunnel Junction to a point 192 metres west of the centre line of junction 22 of the M4 motorway;

“ works” means bridge deck repairs and associated maintenance;

“ works period” means the period starting at 01:00 hours on Monday 1st July 2024 and ending when the works have been completed or after 18 months, whichever is sooner.

Motorway restrictions

3.  Subject to Article 7 and Article 8 no person may, during the works period—

(a) cause or permit any vehicle to be driven at a speed exceeding 50 miles per hour on the first length of carriageway;

(b) cause or permit any vehicle to be driven at a speed exceeding 40 miles per hour on the second length of carriageway;

(c) cause or permit any vehicle with an overall width exceeding 2.75 metres to enter or proceed in the outside lane of the second length of carriageway;

(d) cause or permit any vehicle with an overall width exceeding 3.25 metres to enter or proceed in the second length of carriageway.

4.  Subject to Article 7 and Article 8 during the works period a contraflow will be in operation on the second length of carriageway and no person may cause or permit any vehicle to enter or proceed in—

(a) the outside lane of the eastbound carriageway in any direction other than westbound;

(b) the outside lane of the westbound carriageway in any direction other than eastbound.

5.  Subject to Article 7 and Article 8, no person may, during any first works period, cause or permit any vehicle to enter or proceed in the third length of carriageway.

6.  Subject to Article 7 and Article 8, no person may, during any second works period, cause or permit any vehicle to enter or proceed in the fourth length of carriageway.

Use of traffic signs to implement the motorway restrictions

7.  Articles 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9 apply only at such times and to such extent as indicated from time to time by traffic signs.

Exemptions

8.  The provisions of—

(a) Articles 3, 4, 5 and 6 do not apply to a vehicle—

(i) being used for police, ambulance, fire and rescue authority emergency response purposes; or

(ii) proceeding at the direction of, or with the permission of, a police constable;

(b) Article 3 does not apply to vehicles falling within regulation 3(4) of the Road Traffic Exemptions (Special Forces) (Variation and Amendment) Regulations 2011( 4) where a vehicle is used in accordance with regulation 3(5) of those Regulations;

(c) Articles 5 and 6 do not apply to any vehicle—

(i) being used in connection with the works;

(ii) being driven by, or at the direction of, a traffic officer in uniform; or

(iii) being used for winter maintenance purposes.

Partial suspension of the Motorway Regulations

9.  Subject to Article 7, regulation 5 of the Motorway Regulations and, in so far as it relates to a vehicle being driven, regulation 9 of the Motorway Regulations are suspended during the works period in relation to the hard shoulder.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order authorises the temporary restriction of traffic on specified lengths of the M4 motorway (Prince of Wales Bridge) from 29th June 2024 and ending when the works have been completed or after 18 months, whichever is sooner, because works are proposed to be carried out.