Drivers travelling between England and Wales have been warned to double-check their journey plans ahead of a series of overnight closures for resurfacing work on the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge. National Highways will close the motorway's westbound stretch across the bridge for four nights at the end of April before enforcing full overnight closures on a handful of dates in early May, with contraflow expected to remain in place for around two months. The temporary closures of the three-mile stretch, which is the quickest way to travel between England and Wales, will enable workers to resurface 1km of the cable-stay structure, built to ease pressure on the Severn Bridge in 1996.

The project could last until the early autumn, but the staggered process of the work has been designed to minimise disruption - with the overnight lane closures this month laying the groundwork for the traffic management measures rolled out from next week. National Highways said the scheme would "future-proof the surfacing of the bridge and ensure it is fit for purpose for the next 20 years", adding that it would "reduce the need for further unplanned closures, which cause the most disruption to users".

Over 30,000 vehicles cross the Prince of Wales Bridge, which is part of the M4 between London and South Wales, every day.

That number could rise after a new weight limit is introduced for the M48 Severn crossing on May 27, however, after inspections showed deterioration of the 59-year-old route.

Heavy goods vehicles over 7.5-tonnes will have to use the Prince of Wales bridge to travel between England and Wales for at least 12 to 18 months, while National Highways decides on and implements a medium-term solution.

The agency has timed the upcoming series of overnight closures to precede the change, however, with the newer crossing's westbound carriageway shut between 9pm and 6am for four nights beginning on Sunday, April 27.

Full overnight closures of both the east and westbound carriageways will then commence on May 1, 2 and 6, while just the eastbound route will be shut between the same hours on May 7.

Motorists will be diverted to the Severn Bridge during each stint of maintenance work, with a 40mph limit in force from 6am on May 7 alongside contraflow measures.