THE end is in sight for frustrated city commuters with the long-awaited improvements on a busy motorway junction set to be opened next week.

From Wednesday, August 8, say contractors Costain, traffic will be able to flow through a new single direct lane from the M4 J28 eastbound off-slip and the A48 from Cleppa Park, to the A48 towards Newport.

Then, on August 23, Costain are planning to open up the central drive-through on the Pont Ebbw roundabout, meaning two-way traffic will be able to travel along the A48 between Tredegar Park roundabout and the Southern Distributor Road.

Construction on the Welsh Government’s massive M4 J28 Improvement Scheme started in February 2017, and the project is said to be on target for completion in September this year.

The project has been criticised in recent times by fed up commuters who have had to endure hours of rush hour traffic delays on the Tredegar Park and Pont Ebbw roundabouts.

J28 Tredegar Park roundabout - New lane plans:

 
 
 
 
 

But Costain say the £14million project will bring “significant benefits” to motorists who use the busy interchanges, as well as the already completed Bassaleg roundabout.

A key feature of the completed works will be an intelligent traffic management system, which Costain say will monitor the roads 24 hours a day to learn the traffic flow, adjusting the sequence of traffic lights according to the levels of use.

The third roundabout in the improvement scheme at Bassaleg was completed in November 2017.

But Costain have warned the full benefits of the improvements will not be realised until all three roundabouts are complete and operating with the support of new intelligent traffic light system.

Pont Ebbw roundabout - New lane plans:

 
 
 
 
 

A spokesman for Costain said: “The additional lanes on the roundabout will assist the distribution of traffic to the other limbs of the roundabout and in particular to the Government Offices that support the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and the Wafer Fab components plant.

“In addition, the traffic light system on all three roundabouts can interact to ensure an optimum level of traffic throughput.

“In advance of the changes, Costain, the Principal Contractor for the improvement scheme, will be meeting with key stakeholders and promoting the new arrangements at Tredegar Park and Pont Ebbw.”

Economy and Transport Secretary Ken Skates added: ”The two milestones are an important development to support the final stages of construction and the introduction of the new traffic light system.

“The new lane arrangements will help traffic flow and drivers should approach these new lane arrangements with care”.

 

As well as city commuters, over 3,000 employees at the Intellectual Property Office and the Office for National Statistics use the roundabouts every day.

An exhibition was held by Costain on Wednesday in the IPO offices explaining the almost finished works to employees.

Lesley Evans, Sustainability Manager at the IPO said she was encouraged by the works.

“As secretary of the M4 J28 forum, I have indirect contact with thousands of employees who use the interchanges on a daily basis,” she said.

 

“The exhibition and the opportunity to circulate the plans widely to many organisations working nearby, certainly helped drivers to understand the arrangements associated with the changes at the two roundabouts before they come into effect in the next few weeks.”

Full details of the changes and lane movements can be seen at beta.gov.wales/m4-junction-28. In addition, further information can be obtained by signing up to project email notification service or contacting Hannah Lewis, the Public Liaison Officer on hannah.lewis@costain or the 24-hour project helpline on 0845 600 2664.