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Essential roadworks are to be carried out on the M4 this year, the Welsh Government has announced.

A series of major roadworks and lane closures are set to begin on two separate sections of the motorway.

The road works between junctions 47 and 49 will take place from August to December. There will also be diversions in place between junctions 24 and 28 on the eastern side of the Brynglas tunnels in September.

In a press release, the Welsh Government said both projects will involve essential maintenance to “ensure the longer-term resilience of the road network and to avoid any unplanned emergency repairs”.

The work will involve the re-waterproofing, resurfacing and replacement of bridge joints to several bridge decks. Work is taking place during the summer period to minimise the likelihood of delays to the work caused by poor weather conditions.

During the works between junctions 47 and 49, the traffic management layout will change to accommodate each phase of the scheme with traffic running in contraflow using the hard shoulder from early September until mid-November.

Lower, mandatory speed limits will also be in place during the works.

To accommodate works between junction 24-28 a four-weekend and eight-night work programme has been put in place involving full carriageway closures, avoiding simultaneous closure of the eastbound and westbound carriageway.

This could be reduced to two weekends and eight nights depending on weather conditions, the Welsh Government has said.

More information about the works, including times for contraflow arrangements, will be published on the Traffic Wales website.