UPDATE 6.50pm: The M4 eastbound out of Gwent is now clear.

UPDATE 5.05pm: The congestion which has affected the M4 eastbound out of Gwent has eased considerably.

But there remain delays of up to 15 minutes from the Wales side of the Prince of Wales Bridge (Second Severn Crossing) towards junction 20 (M5, Almondsbury interchange)

The M48 Seven Bridge is closed today, as is the M49 link to the M5 further south.

But traffic is now flowing normally o n the M5 in both directions around junction 20. 

UPDATE 3.15pm: Delays are easing on the M4 eastbound between junctions 23 (M48, Chepstow) and 20 (M5, Almondsbury interchange), but traffic remains very slow.

A stalled car earlier this afternoon, which blocked the inside lane eastbound on the Prince of Wales Bridge, slowed traffic down, and added to congestion caused by the double whammy of closures of the M48 Severn Bridge, and the M49 link to the M5.

THERE are severe delays on the M4 eastbound out of Gwent this afternoon.

Delays of 80 minutes are being reported by the AA between junctions 23 (M49, Chepstow) and 20 (M5 Almondsbury interchange).

Traffic diverting away from the M49 and the M48 Seven Bridge closures is one of the reasons for the back-up, allied to delays on the very busy M5 southbound.

The latter is understood to be due in large part to traffic heading to the Weston-super-Mare Air Festival.