M4 London to Heathrow closed for at least 5 days - cracks in viaduct

[muriel_volestrangler]

Just what you want 3 weeks before the Olympics ...

The main motorway link from London to Heathrow Airport has been closed to all traffic after a crack was found in a "sensitive area" of the road structure.

The M4 is shut between junctions one and three and is not expected to reopen until Thursday morning.

Large vehicles were already banned from the elevated section, known as the Boston Manor Viaduct.

The Highways Agency said it expects all work to be finished before the start of the Olympic Games later this month.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18751083

[enlightenment]

1. Okay - so the road has been weight restricted since March.

Have they been working on it since then? The earlier article was unclear:

The agency said it could not say when the restrictions will be lifted but is confident the repairs will be carried out.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17567988

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. No guarantee it will be open by Monday - peak day

London’s most important Olympic road may not reopen in time for the arrival of thousands of athletes and officials, it was revealed today.

The boss of the Highways Agency warned there were “no guarantees” that the damaged M4 from Heathrow into town would be open by Monday — the peak day for Games arrivals.
...
Heathrow — “the gateway to the Games” — is braced for its busiest arrivals day on Monday as teams and officials head for the Olympic village, which also opens that day. Major contingents from Australia and the United States — two of the biggest squads— are due to arrive at the airport tomorrow.

Games organiser Locog said the journey from Heathrow to central London was taking two hours instead of 90 minutes, and only small numbers had arrived so far. Officials who normally use coaches have instead been taken through the congestion by chauffeur-driven BMWs.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/m4-cracks-crisis-no-guarantee-over-when-key-olympics-route-may-reopen-7938126.html

Well, if the queues at passport control build up as expected, then there won't be many people able to leave Heathrow and clog up the roads! Simples!