A BUSY section of the M5 and M4 motorways are set to be upgraded.

Work on a six-mile stretch around the Almondsbury interchange is aimed at improving driver safety.

It will take place on the M4 between junction 19 for Bristol and where it meets the M5 at the Almondsbury interchange, and on the M5 to junction 17 at Cribbs Causeway.

The work includes:

* Upgrading a four-mile section of existing steel barrier to concrete in the central reservation of the M4 around Almondsbury interchange

* Building three new emergency areas on the M5

* Upgrading traffic signs to provide better information for drivers

* Drainage work

* Renewing lighting

* Additional CCTV cameras

Paul Unwin, who is overseeing the upgrades for National Highways, said: “Safety is our number one priority. Upgrading these barriers will improve journeys and significantly reduce the risk of vehicles crossing over from one carriageway to another, improving safety and reducing the duration of incident-related congestion.

“During the work we will do all we can to keep disruption to a minimum, but we expect that delays could be severe at peak times, so we are encouraging drivers to plan their journeys to avoid peak times if possible.

“Getting it done at this time of year means the concrete can set just right and the contractors have a longer working window with more light.”

To minimise disruption while work to upgrade the barrier is carried out on the M4 and M5, three lanes will remain open to traffic in each direction.

However, one lane will be closed on each of the motorways, and the remaining lanes slightly narrowed, to help create a safe working area for the workforce.

The work will be coordinated with upcoming maintenance projects to refurbish two bridges at the junction 15 and 16 interchanges on the M5, which is expected to start this spring.

National Highways is also providing an enhanced free recovery service to help any drivers who breakdown, or are involved in an incident.

A 50mph speed limit and temporary roadworks CCTV monitoring will also be in place during the work.

On the M4, work to get the carriageways ready for narrow lanes is set to start on February 27 and is expected to last about a week.

Installation of the narrow lanes is planned to start on March 7 and will last for about two weeks. These works will be undertaken overnight, with road closures and diversions in place.

On the M5, narrow lanes preparations and temporary traffic management installation between junctions 16 and 17 are expected to start towards the end of March. This will also be done overnight.

Main construction on these sections will start following the successful installation of the narrow lanes.

The overall work for both the M4 and M5 is expected to be completed during winter 2023.