Major UK motorway hit by string of closures over WHOLE of next year as drivers told to use hard shoulder

THE National Highway is planning to close off sections of this UK motorway at different periods between January 2 and December 24 next year.

Drivers will be able to use the hard shoulder while maintenance work takes place on the busy road.

The M4 in Swindon and Wiltshire will be partly shut between Junction 5 (A4) and Junction 15 (A419/A346).

The motorway will be closed between 9pm and 6am at various points between January 2 and December 24, 2026, due to maintenance work.

Closure of the M4 sections will also include all slip and link roads, also affecting areas of Junctions 8, 9, 13, and 15.

The hard shoulder on these routes is expected to be open overnight while maintenance work takes place, unless an emergency refuge is taking place adjacent to the carriage way.

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HGVs will be allowed to use the outer lane during the inside-lane closure – usually not allowed under the Motorway regulations.

National Highway said that the duration of each closure will depend on the “nature of the maintenance work being undertaken on each occasion.”

Although maintenance work will be planned during the night, it may also take place during the busy periods of the day for important work.

Drivers who will be using the M4 in 2026 are advised to check the National Highways website for details on any upcoming closures.

The closure of the M4 will also affect the nearby towns of Berkshire, such as Slough, Windsor, and Maidenhead, as well as West Berkshire.

Those living in Buckinghamshire and Wiltshire will also be impacted.