NEWPORT'S Brynglas tunnels will soon be closing as maintenance work takes place.

As part of essential safety works and wider improvements to the M4, planned overnight maintenance at the Brynglas Tunnels at Newport will begin on Monday June 20.

The improvements will be carried out primarily at night until February 2018, with the M4 scheduled to be closed between junctions 25A and 26 from 8pm to 6am on up to five nights per week.

Ken Skates Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure said: “The M4 is of vital importance to the Welsh economy and this maintenance to the Brynglas Tunnels forms part of our ongoing commitment to improving the motorway. The timing of this work is designed to ensure that it’s carried out safely and as quickly as reasonably possible, with minimal possible disruption to road users.

“Whilst such work will always be necessary, it’s clear that improvements to the current M4 alone will not resolve the wider, long term issues surrounding the congestion on the M4 around Newport. I’d like to be very clear that tackling these wider long term issues remains a top priority and I hope to be in a position to make an announcement to this end soon.”