M4 Junction 11 Improvements Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet: Issue 2November 2008Works in ProgressM4 Junction 11& MereoakImprovementSchemeAncient pottery unearthed next tothe Swallowfield Bypass.Welcome to the second issue of the M4 Junction 11& Mereoak Improvement Scheme Fact SheetConstruction work on this £65million scheme to improve Reading’s maintraffic gateway - Junction 11 of the M4 - and surrounding roads in Shinfieldstarted in June 2008. This Fact Sheet will keep you updated on how the workis going, and planned works over the coming months.On the centre pages overleaf a plan of the scheme highlights what has beenhappening recently and what is happening now on the project.On page 4 you will find details of future works and details of how to getin touch with us during the works if you have any concerns or specificquestions.Local residents find out more fromLaing O’Rourke staff at the‘Meet the Contractor’ days.Local residents inspect the plans.Roman and Iron Age pottery found at Mereoak LaneRoman and Iron Age pottery were among items unearthed during anarchaeological evaluation of Mereoak Lane, just next to the SwallowfieldBypass. The excavation took place as part of preparations for the Junction11 improvements.The finds were on display during two ‘Meet the Contractor’ days held lastmonth by Laing O’Rourke, which is undertaking the improvements. Morethan 100 local residents and businesses popped in to meet members of theconstruction team and ask questions about how living close to the work mayaffect them in coming months.As well as the ancient pottery, visitors were able to inspect maps andphotographs, and see what the finished scheme will look like.When completed, the new Junction 11 and surrounding roads in Readingand Shinfield will be less congested, and there will be more public transport,pedestrian footways and cycle lanes. A complete landscape design will leavethe area looking pleasant and green too.More ‘Meet the Contractor’ days are planned throughout the scheme, sowatch this space!

What will happen over the coming months?Before the end of 2008 you can expect to see the following things happening:Please refer to the map on pages 2 & 3 to see the different quadrants.• Completion of earthworks at the south-east quadrant.• South-west quadrant preparatory works and commencement of earthworks to widen the existing embankment.• Closure of the footpath running between Hartley Court Road and Junction 11 roundabout whilst works take place.• Development of former Horsemans coaches depot for Thames Valley Police and Highways Agency compounds.• Construction of new access road in Thames Valley Police/Highways Agency depot area.• Construction of two additional traffic lanes in each direction on the A33 South (Swallowfield Bypass northboundstretch).• Construction of north-east quadrant earthworks will begin.• Removal of central islands on the A33 northbound, involving the temporary closure of one northbound lane.Plans of future phases of works are available on line at the websites shown at the foot of the page.Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s).Will there be any working at night during the project?The majority of the work will be carried out by Laing O’Rourke during the daytime working hours of 7am – 7pm. Someworks, including construction of bridges and tie-ins to existing roads, will need to be carried out at night. Advanced noticeof these works will be given where appropriate.What traffic disruption will we experience whilst the works are happening?As with most major road improvement schemes there will be some disruption at times with lane closures, trafficdiversions and some traffic control measures. However, these are mainly expected to be carried out during off-peakhours. The project is organised into several phases to reduce impact upon motorists. Up to February 2009, the majorityof the works will take place ‘off-line’, meaning that traffic will not largely be affected and there will be little or no delayto your journey compared to normal conditions. As of February 2009 we will begin to implement on-line phasing of theworks and details of this will be given in the next Fact Sheet.For a full list of frequently asked questions please visit the websites shown at the foot of the page.Finding out moreLocal residents and businesses, community groups and key stakeholders will be kept regularly updated throughout theworks through this Fact Sheet, meetings and a dedicated customer care team on site.The customer care team can be contacted by calling 0845 241 7757 or emailing m4@laingorourke.comInformation, maps, phasing plans, previous Fact Sheets and frequently askedquestions are available at www.reading.gov.uk/junction11 orwww.wokingham.gov.uk/junction11You can also view the Junction 11 traffic cameras and other live travel information atwww.reading-travelinfo.co.uk