Welsh Government to investigate rule change to section of M4

Emily Price
A major rule change to a section of the M4 in south Wales is being considered by the Welsh Government to ease congestion.
A suggestion to only allow cars in the outside lane between junction 38 and 43 of the motorway was put forward by Swansea East MS, Mike Hedges.
The idea will now be investigated to see if it would have an impact on improving traffic flow in the area.
The latest traffic data from 2023 shows that the annual average daily traffic flow in that section of the motorway is just under 87,500 motor vehicles.
‘Frustrated’
Mr Hedges says people using the stretch of road in Swansea have become “frustrated” with lorries overtaking other lorries leading to causing congestion.
He said: “I use the section of the M4 between junction 43 and 38 several times a week and I know only too well the frustrations, especially at rush hour, of the congestion there.”
While acknowledging adding a third lane would be both costly and “impractical”, the Labour MS suggested limiting the second lane to be “cars only” or keeping the outside lane for through traffic only.
Mr Hedges explained: “I believe that the change I suggested to the minister to make the second lane ‘cars only’ would help because it is very frustrating when a slow-moving lorry overtakes a very-slow-moving lorry, and slows everyone down.
“My further suggestion is to make the outside lane for through traffic and this would also go some way to alleviating the problem. While accepting that it would be impractical and too costly to provide a third lane, something has to be done to improve traffic flow on this stretch of M4.”
Positive
Mr Hedges’ idea was positively received by Wales’ Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Ken Skates, who said he was aware that the area could get crowded with vehicles at peak times.
The transport minister said: “Mike has kindly raised the issue of what the French call ‘elephant racing’ with me in recent days.
“I think his suggestions certainly merit investigation, and I will therefore ask my officials to investigate the suggestion of limiting certain traffic to one lane, to ensure that traffic can move more freely in the outer lane.
“And I will see what that might have in terms of positive effects on transport flows and on air quality, and indeed on safety.”
He added that if the changes proposed by Mr Hedges were found to have a “positive impact”, the Welsh Government could implement the solution.
The transport minister said: “I will report back as soon as I can. My understanding is that if they are found to have a positive impact, the next step would be to obtain motorway regulations, and that could take many, many months.
“But, as I say to Mike Hedges, if that is a solution to be pursued, we will pursue it.”
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Pretty much every section in the UK that I have driven on with 7.5T+ banned outside on a two lane is not that much quicker if at all. Problem is not the wagon’s, it’s the volume of traffic. There will always be someone at 55 or 60 or a caravan struggling along.
The M20 in Kent, usually a three lane motorway is barriered off during ‘operation brock’ to form a two lane motorway at 50mph to provide a parking section for HGVs accessing the channel tunnel at busy times. That suggested configuration was tried. It resulted at best in entry from slip roads impossible causing major congestion in the towns served along that stretch of motorway and at worst concertina crashes and jackknife fatalities during poor driving conditions. Why doesn’t Mike Hedges MS check his facts before making daft suggestions to the Transport Minister?
Brock is a particular issue though and absolutely required.
I can travel just fine down many sections of many motorways, the moment rush hour happens, there is congestion. Heavy traffic, you are not going to make progress no matter what you do with the wagons. Restrict by weight, I have never gained any realistic time because of the volume of cars.
Brock is paid for by the UK taxpayer, including those in Wales. It’s a subsidy scheme for the ferry companies and Eurotunnel who like to reject HGVs, to be stacked up on the motorway, so they can fill their deck space and carriages with more profitable cars during tourist traffic peaks. It’s possible for example to ease congestion on the west of the M4 on bank holidays by stacking the HGVs at Coryton, but somehow, unlike Kent, I don’t expect HM treasury will fund it.
A completely impractical suggestion as this would result in a wall of HGVs on the inside lane preventing any vehicles in the outside lane accessing the exit slip roads of junctions 39, 40, 41 and 42. This is most apparent on the westbound blocking off access to Swansea. Currently HGVs and move into the outside lane to allow vehicles to access this exit overtaking slower traffic indicating left. This problem is already evident since the Welsh Government imposed a daft environmental speed limit of 50mph on the Baglan section.
Close the two lane J41 again, even if it’s just at peak times.
The amount of westbound traffic who use it as a rat run causes no end of delays there.
Surely the motorway traffic has precedence?
Stop the drivers clogging up one lane, who get on then get off about 200 metres down the road.
I used to drive for work between Swansea & Bridgend. When they did the trial closure of J41 at peak times, the motorway flowed there.