The work is needed to bring the hard shoulder betwenn junctions 16 and 17 back into use, after a landslip. After the earth is moved, 19,500t of locally sourced stone will be backfilled to restore the embankment and hard shoulder.
The works are happening alongside the refurbishment of four bridges in the same stretch of the motorway. Chris Hilldrup, National Highways Route Manager, said: “Many of the roads and bridges we manage were built around 60 years ago and are nearing the end of their life span, so we’re acting now and renewing them to prevent bigger problems further down the line.
“This £20m investment along the M4 in Wiltshire is a significant engineering undertaking. Once we have stabilised the embankment, we will refurbish the bridges and upgrade barriers to maintain the safety and reliability of this busy route for many years to come.”
Identified during routine surveys, the landslide alongside the motorway has rendered the hard shoulder unsafe and unusable on the eastbound approach to Swindon, and the verges and embankments need to be stabilised before work starts on the bridge repairs in autumn 2027.
MJ Church will reuse as much material as possible from the landslide, along with recycled concrete from the contractors’ crushing plant near Chippenham, close to the works.