M40 resurfacing works to start next week

Resurfacing work on the M40 will be taking place over the next few months.
MHBG-01-05-14 M40 GV  General view of the M40 motorway  Picture by Lucy Ford NNL-140429-173919009MHBG-01-05-14 M40 GV  General view of the M40 motorway  Picture by Lucy Ford NNL-140429-173919009
MHBG-01-05-14 M40 GV General view of the M40 motorway Picture by Lucy Ford NNL-140429-173919009

The work, to be carried out by Highways England will involve resurfacing the carriageway across all three lanes in both directions, between junction 6, at Adwell, and junction 8, at the A40 Oxford spur.

Preparation work will start this Monday, August 15, with workers to install speed cameras but the main work will start on September 8.

It is expected to finish by Christmas. The majority of the work will be carried out using slip road and lane closures overnight from 10pm to 6am.

There will be a full closure of the M40 northbound overnight to install the lane closures, which will be in place from 10pm until 6am September 8.

There will also be a temporary 50mph speed limit in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the work to allow drivers to travel along the M40 safely, for road workers and to allow the surfacing material to set.

Highways England project manager Michael Freeman said: “This major resurfacing work will improve people’s journeys along the M40 by providing them with a better driving experience and it means we won’t need to return to this section of the road for major repairs for a long time.

“Not only will we be resurfacing the road, but we’ll be using low noise surfacing to minimise the impact of the noise nearby.

“We have planned our work carefully to minimise disruptions to road users, by carrying out the majority of the work using lane closures and overnight when traffic flows are low.”

Once work is finished, traffic sensors will be installed in the road surface to help monitor traffic flows, which will require additional overnight lane closures for around four weeks.

While the work is being carried out, there will be a temporary 50mph speed limit and some full road closures with fully signed diversion routes.

Drivers travelling northbound will be diverted:

> M40 junction 8 northbound Oxford Spur (A40) will continue to travel northbound along the M40 and leave at junction 8A exit slip, turn left along the A418 and follow A418 until it regions the A40 northbound.

> M40 junction 6 northbound will exit the M40 at junction 6 northbound and turn right onto A4009 until the A40 London road. Follow A40 London road to the A418, turn left onto A418 and continue along to junction 8a and re-join M40 northbound.

Drivers travelling southbound will be diverted:

> M40 junction 8 southbound Oxford Spur (A40) will leave A40 at the A418 southbound exit slip and travel east along the A418, travel to the M40 junction 8A and turn right at the second roundabout to join the M40 southbound.

> M40 junction 8a southbound will exit M40 at junction 8a southbound onto A418 towards Thame, turn right on the A40 London road and follow until the A4009. Then turn left onto the A4009 and right onto junction 6 southbound entry slip.

The work is dependent on suitable weather conditions and dates may be subject to change.

For the latest information about closures and diversions, refer to the East of England weekly roadworks bulletin issued every Friday, which can be viewed at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/highways-england or visit http://www.highways.gov.uk/m40-junction-6-to-8 where a work schedule will be kept up to date.