M4 J12 Theale Interchange

Layout and signage

Theale
Reading (W)
A4
  A4     A4   Theale
Reading (W)
A4

Lane configuration

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  • Lane 1 is gained from the entry sliproad.
  • Lane 2 continues, with option to exit.
  • Lane 3 continues ahead.
  • Lane 4 continues ahead.

LanesLanesLanesLanesLanesLanes

  • Lane 1 exits and does not return.
  • Lane 2 continues ahead.
  • Lane 3 continues ahead.
  • Lane 4 continues ahead.

Other events

  • Signs Variable Speed Limits apply
  • Signs National Speed Limit begins

In this section

What's new

The monster seen from below

What might it have been like to stand in one spot and witness the arrival, and the uncertainty, of plans for an urban motorway in West London?

The road that made no sense

It was the UK's only single-carriageway motorway, and twenty years ago it ceased to exist. This is the story of the strange fascination it held, and of my place in history.

The forever bottleneck, part 2

The second part of the story, where we learn why exactly the M4 gets narrower on the final approach to Europe’s biggest city.

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Clear and legible

A century ago, one short memorandum issued by the Ministry of Transport laid the groundwork for a system of standardised, uniform road signs and a great deal more.

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