A six-figure sum will be invested on roads in Reading used by drivers whenever the M4 motorway is closed. 

Roads running through the town are part of the M4 strategic diversion route used by motorists when sections of the motorway are closed. The strategic route is used when the M4 is closed between junction 11 for Reading and 12 for Theale.

The route utilises the A33 Basingstoke Road, Rose Kiln Lane, Berkeley Avenue and the A4 Bath Road.

A day closure of the M4 between junctions 11 and 12 caused heavy traffic on Saturday, June 29.

Reading Borough Council received £250,000 of funding from the National Highways capital grant scheme to keep the route well maintained in the 2023/24 financial year.

That money was used for surfacing preservation on the A33 between Junction 11 and Rose Kiln Lane, and major resurfacing on the Rose Kiln Lane gyratory and along Bath Road between Berkeley Avenue and Southcote Road.

National Highways has now offered an additional £250,000 for more resurfacing and road maintenance measures, bringing the total grant to £500,000.

The offer was discussed at a meeting of the council's housing, neighbourhoods and leisure committee.

Sam Shean, a council highways and traffic services manager said: "We got £250,000 last year, we spent it wisely they were really pleased, and now they've reallocated more funding and we will do the same."

Councillors on the committee unanimously agreed to maintenance works along the strategic diversion route on Wednesday, July 10.