The M4 motorway in Berkshire has reopened in both directions after being closed for more than 24 hours due to emergency repairs following a fallen tree hitting a power line pylon, National Highways has confirmed.
Traffic was disrupted between junction 10 (near Wokingham) and junction 11 (near Reading) after an oak tree toppled onto an electricity pylon on Wednesday, forcing authorities to shut the busy stretch of the motorway for safety reasons. Engineers from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks worked through the night to make the route safe before it could be reopened.
The closure, which began in the early hours of Wednesday, was put in place as a precaution while specialist teams carried out complex repairs on the damaged power infrastructure. National Highways thanked drivers for their patience as the work was completed and normal traffic flows resumed just before 06:00 GMT on Thursday.
On Tuesday, the same section of the M4 was closed westbound following a serious crash after a police pursuit earlier in the week. That incident, which occurred between junctions 10 and 11, was unrelated to the pylon damage and also caused significant delays for commuters.
National Highways had advised motorists to allow extra journey time and follow clearly marked diversion routes while the motorway was shut. Local roads experienced heavier-than-usual congestion as drivers followed alternative routes.
The M4 is one of the UK’s major arterial routes, linking London with South Wales and serving key towns and cities including Reading, Slough and Maidenhead. Disruptions on this stretch often have wider knock-on effects for road users across the region.
