Temporary lights to tackle M40 junction congestion

Warwickshire County Council, in partnership with the Highways Agency, UK Highways, Warwickshire Police and Jaguar Land Rover, will put traffic lights in place from Monday ahead of work starting on a permanent scheme.

The lights will be active between 6am and 9am to relieve current queuing issues at the southbound exit slip road, and the local road network including the B4451, B4100 and Kineton Road.

Work on the Highways Agency major junction improvement is due to start in spring 2015. Once completed in the following summer, the works should alleviate congestion at the junction, particularly on the southbound approach during morning peak hours, which often leads to queues of more than a mile on the southbound carriageway of the M40.

The Highways Agency scheme will tie in to the Warwickshire County Council local improvement project on the B4451/B4100, due to start in November.

Shah Hussain, Highways Agency project manager said: “Working in partnership with Warwickshire County Council, Warwickshire Police and Jaguar Land Rover, we felt it was necessary to introduce these temporary measures to offer some relief to motorists experiencing congestion at this junction in the morning peak.

“Once the two permanent improvements are underway, they will support the government’s commitment to improve journey time reliability and to support the growth of the local and regional economies.

“To improve safety, the temporary traffic lights will be electronically controlled and phased in favour of the traffic leaving the junction to prevent queuing on the hard shoulder and southbound exit slip road at junction 12.”,

The traffic lights will also be installed on both the B4100 and Kineton Road approaches to Gaydon roundabout to control vehicles entering the roundabout. Motorists will still use the roundabout in the normal manner and give-way to vehicles from their right.

Both the Highways Agency and Warwickshire County Council will assess the performance of the temporary traffic lights, and identify any changes needed once work on the two improvement schemes begins.

Cllr Peter Butlin, portfolio holder, transport and highways at Warwickshire County Council added: “We welcome the interim traffic management scheme to address the queuing on the M40 southbound slip road during the morning peak hours.”