M48 Severn Bridge set for weekend closure

The bridge will be closed from 7pm on Friday 30 September to 6am on Monday, 3 October

The M48 Severn Bridge will be closing later to allow for two high-level cable inspection gantries to be moved.

The bridge will be closed from 19:00 BST until 06:00 on Monday.

Diversion routes will be in place whilst the condition of the suspension cables and safety for bridge users are checked.

Long-term lane closures will remain in place after this weekend's full closure, a national highways manager said.

Diversion will be in place for drivers to use the M4 Second Severn Crossing.

The footway and cycle path next to the eastbound carriageway will remain open during the closure.

Chris Pope, Project Manager for National Highways, said: "The inspections are vital to allow us to understand the current condition of the suspension cables and confirm that the measures that we implemented over the last 15 years have been effective in ensuring the long-term viability of the bridge and the safety of its users.

"We understand this work may cause some inconvenience and disruption, but we are making every effort to ensure the impact on drivers is kept to a minimum."