NIGHT-TIME closures will hit the A350 at Chippenham and Junction 17 of the M4 for four weeks from Monday due to the installing of traffic lights and resurfacing work.

Wiltshire Council said that from 8pm-6am on January 8, the sliproads off the M4 will be closed to try and reduce congestion there and prevent traffic from backing up onto the M4 motorway and diversion signs have been put up to inform drivers.

The scheme will introduce traffic lights on both slip roads, going north and south, but the closures will not happen on the weekends and all of these works should be completed by the first week of February.

If motorists want to get to Chippenham when heading from a Swindon direction, they should exit at Junction 16, head along the A3102 to Royal Wootton Bassett and continue along that road, not going as far as Calne and going onto Chilvester Hill, to New Road and then finally along London Road into the town.

If they need to join up with the M4 again at Junction 18, drivers should take the A420 up to Cold Ashton in South Gloucestershire and then head up the A46 to the motorway.

For people heading to Malmesbury overnight, they must also exit the M4 at Junction 16, from a Swindon direction, and take the A3102 to near Royal Wootton Bassett and then join the B4042 up to the market town.

If drivers are going to Malmesbury from Junction 18, travelling from Bristol for instance, they must exit there, head up Acton Turville Road, to Luckington Road and finally along the B4040.

If however you want to use the roundabout to get from the A350, or the B4122, up to the A429 onto Malmesbury, that will remain open as it is only the motorway sliproads that are closed.

For motorists that are travelling from Bristol, diversion route signs will be along the M4 before Junction 18 and also in the London direction before Junction 16 to give people enough warning of the closures.

Drivers are free to use other roads, such as the A350 when travelling from Lacock, if that is a more suitable route.

Griffiths were appointed as the main contractor by Wiltshire Council to continue improvement works along the A350 around Chippenham. That work began in July and will continue until this Summer.

This work includes widening the A350 between Badger and Brook roundabouts and between Cepen Park South and Chequers roundabouts and the widening of the A4 Bath Road when approaching the Chequers roundabout near Chippenham.

For more information visit http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/highways-improvements-m4