M4 into London remains partially closed - ITN
The M4, one of London's busiest roads and a key route from the city to Heathrow Airport, has partially reopened following emergency engineering work.
The stretch of road between junctions one and two has reopened in both directions, although it is still closed between junctions two and three and is likely to remain so for the next three days.
The motorway, which serves as the key route to the West of England, was closed on Friday night for ongoing repair works to the Boston Manor Viaduct, after cracks in an essential structural area were discovered.
Drivers travelling into west London are being advised to travel via the M3 or M40.
London-bound traffic will be able to join the M4 at junction two and traffic heading out of London can stay on until junction two, although there is a lane two closure in this direction.
A spokesman said: "We expect the ongoing programme of repairs will be completed to enable the viaduct to operate in its full capacity in time for the London 2012 Olympic Games later this month.
"The closure is a sensible precaution, given the bridge's importance, both for people driving to and from west London and for the Games.
"The works are being carried out underneath the structure so the scale of the work is not visible from the M4 or from the local road network."
Diversion routes are in place on the A312 and the A4, which run adjacent to the bridge.
Bad boy Henson signs for London Welsh as Wales ace hopes to re-ignite stalling career - Daily Mail
|
On the move: Henson has joined Welsh
Aviva Premiership newboys London Welsh have confirmed the signing of controversial Wales centre Gavin Henson.
Henson, 30, has been without a club since April after being sacked by Cardiff Blues over his drunken behaviour on a flight returning from a game in Glasgow.
But Henson worked with Exiles coach Lyn Jones during his time at the Ospreys and has been given the latest in a series of chances to get his career back on track.
Jones said: 'Gavin has a great talent but over the past three or four seasons he has not realised his full potential for a number of reasons that are well documented.
'I sincerely hope and believe he can now draw a line under that period and move forward again with London Welsh.'
Given the player's history the move will be considered by many to be a major gamble for London Welsh as they prepare to embark on their first top-flight campaign.
Celebrity exploits: Henson starred in Channel 5's 'The Bachelor' and Strictly Come Dancing (below)
Despite playing an integral part in Wales' 2005 and 2008 Grand Slam campaigns, and touring New Zealand with the Lions in 2005, Henson has yet to deliver consistently on the glimpses of class he has shown on occasions.
But Jones, with whom Henson won two Celtic League titles and an Anglo-Welsh Cup between 2003 and 2008, believes the right environment can bring out the best in the wayward star.
He said: 'What's important for Gavin is that he concentrates 100 per cent on his game and learning how to become the best he can possibly be again. I think he can add a great deal to our game and we can also do a lot for him.
Former glories: Henson has won 33 caps for Wales
'We all appreciate the skills that he can bring to a game but what team-mates and coaches will be looking for is consistency of that ability.
'That's the challenge for Gavin, to hold his concentration fully on rugby as he did when he started his career, when rugby was first, second and third on his list of priorities.'
The Blues were Henson's fourth club in little over a year after being released by the Ospreys in 2010 and having short stints at Saracens and Toulon.
His spell in France had also been marred by an alcohol-related incident, with the club suspending him for a week after a nightclub altercation with two team-mates.
London 2012 Olympics: 18 days to go - live blog - The Guardian
Hello and welcome to today’s Olympics live blog.
Coming up today:
• A group of council tenants are going to the high court to try to block plans to station surface-to-air missiles on the roof of their tower block during the Olympics. Residents of the Fred Wigg tower in Leytonstone, east London, are applying for permission to seek judicial review on the grounds that their human rights have been breached because they were not consulted fairly or properly. They also want an injunction prohibiting deployment of the missiles until their legal challenge is heard. The Ministry of Defence wants to deploy the missiles at six sites across the capital from mid-July to shoot down any aircraft threatening the Olympic Park.
• The Olympic torch is travelling from Luton to Oxford, via Milton Keynes. Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton started today’s relay in Luton. He had originally been slated to carry it through his home town, Stevenage, but swapped so he could take part in the British Grand Prix yesterday. "It wasn't that great a day,” he said of yesterday’s race, in which he came eighth, “so I would happily have missed that to come and do it that evening. But I am so proud to do it, it doesn't matter where I do it." Send your pictures of the torch relay to paul.owen@guardian.co.uk or tweet me @paultowen.
Lewis Hamilton carrying the Olympic torch in Luton on 9 July 2012. • Team GB is to confirm its competitors for the Olympics to Locog by 2pm.
In today's Olympics news so far:
• Ryan Giggs has been named as the captain of the Team GB men’s football squad. The Manchester United veteran, who has never played in a major international tournament despite his extensive club experience, said: “It is going to be tough because a lot of the other nations have picked good players and have got good teams. It is going to be tough, but we have a good chance." Meanwhile Hope Powell, the head coach of Team GB’s women’s football team, said she believed London 2012 was the perfect opportunity to raise the profile of women's football.
• The private security company being paid nearly £300m to guard the London 2012 Olympics has yet to fully train or accredit thousands of security guards needed to protect the games from terrorist attack, it has emerged.
• Maev Kennedy has been speaking to Patricia Russell, the eldest daughter of Olympic gold-medallist Eric Liddell, whose story inspired the Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire.
• Less than two decades ago Britain's Olympic sailors were largely enthusiastic, often unfit, amateurs – now Team GB are the ones they all need to beat at London 2012, writes Steven Morris. And here is his boat-by-boat guide to Team GB.
• Britain’s Andy Murray lost to Switzerland’s Roger Federer in an enthralling Wimbledon final. Murray will have another chance to shine in just under three weeks when the Olympic tennis tournament starts.
• The M4 motorway in west London has been reopened in both directions between junctions one and two, the Highways Agency said. The motorway, which is the main route from London to Heathrow airport and the west of England, was closed between junctions 1 and 3 on Friday night for ongoing repair works to the Boston Manor Viaduct, just west of M4 junction 2. The motorway was initially closed because Highways Agency staff discovered a crack in a highly stressed zone over bridge supports. The motorway remains shut in both directions between junctions 2 and 3, and is expected to be closed for the next three days. A spokesman said: "We expect the ongoing programme of repairs will be completed to enable the viaduct to operate in its full capacity in time for the London 2012 Olympic Games later this month.”
• Caroline Spelman, the environment secretary, has said she had been given assurances that all Olympic sites would be resilient to floods after flooding at a park-and-ride car park in Weymouth, Dorset, which will be used to transport spectators to sailing events.
• RMT members on Southern trains have voted to accept an Olympics bonus deal which will give all staff a payment of £300 plus an additional £28 a day and additional £50 for late nights.
Stay tuned for all this and more throughout the day.
0 Responses to "M4 into London remains partially closed - ITN"
Post a Comment