Skip to main content

Severn Bridge resurfacing complete

Contractor Hanson has completed the latest phase of its resurfacing work on the Severn bridges following the removal of the toll booths and barriers. The contract for Highways England started in December 2018, when the tolls were abolished on the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge and M48 Severn Bridge, and resurfacing was needed for the new road layout. The move to provide free access for drivers from England into Wales is aimed at boosting the Welsh economy. Over the last few weeks Hanson has laid more than
April 30, 2019 Read time: 2 mins
Resurfacing work is complete for the Severn bridges
Contractor 2644 Hanson has completed the latest phase of its resurfacing work on the Severn bridges following the removal of the toll booths and barriers.


The contract for 8100 Highways England started in December 2018, when the tolls were abolished on the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge and M48 Severn Bridge, and resurfacing was needed for the new road layout. The move to provide free access for drivers from England into Wales is aimed at boosting the Welsh economy.

Over the last few weeks Hanson has laid more than 10,000tonnes of base, binder and surface course material to complete the remodelling of the westbound side of the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge. The contracting team laid the final 2,200tonnes overnight in just 12 hours – more than double the amount usually handled on a regular motorway nightshift.

As well as resurfacing the toll booth area, the work has included 950m of the westbound carriageway and a new emergency access road.

Next month (May), the Hanson team will start a similar job on the M48 Severn Bridge; resurfacing the toll booth plaza as well as 1.5km of carriageway on both sides of the bridge.

Hannah Milliner, Severn Bridges General Manager at Highways England said: “This is a significant project for the region and Hanson has worked collaboratively with Highways England and its contractors to ensure that we deliver these works both safely and to schedule. Hanson has played an important part in making toll removal a success. We are currently reaching the final stages of the scheme and drivers will soon be able to benefit from free-flowing motorways.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Singapore F1 racetrack uses Shell technology
    July 20, 2012
    The Singapore Grand Prix at the end of September was a race to remember for many reasons. Formula One's first night race saw excitement on the track, and it was a test for the high-performance surface containing Shell premium grade bitumen binder Cariphalte Racetrack. The inaugural Singapore Grand Prix was staged on a new street circuit and is open to regular motorists. Work on the track started in April 2008 and was completed in just two months. Because the road circuit is used for everyday traffic, the ne
  • Key UK road improvement project
    January 18, 2022
    A key road improvement project is complete.
  • Speedy airport upgrade
    February 15, 2012
    Increases in flight numbers from the Frankfurt Hahn airport have resulted in necessary improvements to the facility, including new runway surfaces. The former German military airbase has been used as a civilian airport since 1993 but is now Germany's fifth largest air cargo hub and handles some 40,000 flights/year.
  • Dual layer, hot to hot paving at German airport
    August 18, 2015
    An airport in Germany has seen the use of very innovative asphalt paving techniques, with the use of dual-layer, hot-to-hot working. The method was used to meet a very tight schedule for the runway rebuilding work, while also delivering the high quality required. Two InLine Pave trains from Vögele were used at Rostock-Laage Airport to lay a new surface and binder course. The operation was innovative as the process used both hot-to-hot, echelon paving as well as dual layer, hot-on-hot working. Using this