Busy road to close for six weeks

The A4 Bath Road will close to allow work to provide services to a new housing development.

A busy road is set to close for six weeks, causing long diversions for traffic in the area.

The A4 Bath Road at Speen, near Newbury, Berkshire, will shut from 28 April to allow work to provide services to 118 new homes, as part of the Lapwing Green development, close to the junction with the A34.

Residents living nearby have voiced concerns about parking and access to their homes.

West Berkshire Council said a "quicker means of working, such as drilling, isn't possible due to the likelihood of service strikes" because of the number of pipes and cables already in the ground at the site.

West Berkshire Council says the a new gas main needs to be installed at a minimum depth of 1m.

One man, who lives nearby, said: "There are 12 houses in this little lane here... many have got two vehicles, nobody knows what's going to happen."

Other residents were concerned about access to their homes, with one worried about roofers being able to get in and out of her property.

The planned diversion will take traffic four miles around the area to the Chievley interchange of the A34.

West Berkshire Council said: "There is a significant amount of apparatus to install... to provide services to the new development.

"Due to the location of the services, there is not enough remaining road width to keep the road open under any other form of traffic management."

It has been approached for further comment in response to issues raised by local residents.