Bristol motorways to shut overnight for gantry work

Two motorways in Bristol are to be closed for seven nights in August so new gantries can be installed.

The first closure will be on the M5 on Thursday, 2 August, between junction 15 for the Almondsbury interchange and junction 16 for Filton.

The gantries will carry overhead variable speed limits as part of a new managed motorway scheme.

The M4 will also be closed overnight on Thursday, 9 August then on 21, 23 and 30 August, the Highways Agency said.

Further overnight closures on the M5 will take place on Monday 6 and Tuesday 14 August.

Assistant project manager Kenny Guihen said closures were "required to accommodate the works safely".

"Although the closures will be in place when there is less traffic, we do advise road users to allow more time for their journeys and to follow the clearly signed diversion routes," Mr Guihen added.

The closures are part of a £77m project to introduce a scheme similar to the one on the M42 in the West Midlands, where motorists use the hard shoulder at peak times.

Several links roads between the M4 and M5 around the Almondsbury interchange will also close overnight during August.