AMONG the glitzy parties, cheerful decor and festive celebrations, we all know that Christmas can also be a chaotic time, especially when travel is involved.
Amid continuous M4 closures and roadworks, which Highways England is implementing as part of its installation of Smart Motorways, those travelling to see loved ones this festive season may face a longer journey than usual, with diversions and extra traffic.
READ MORE: Reading hosts Christmas Extravaganza in Abbey Ruins
The Chronicle has scoured statistics of M4 accidents in the past few years to find out why the changes are being made on the busy motorway - and it has been found that, between 2016 and 2018, there were a total of 126 accidents between Junction 10 (Bracknell and Wokingham); Junction 11 (Reading); Junction 12 (Theale) and Junction 13 (Newbury).
According to Highways England, Smart Motorways relieve congestion by making the hard shoulder available for use by traffic.
On some Smart Motorways, the hard shoulder is opened at busy times and on others it is permanently converted into a traffic lane (known as all-lane running).
On the Highways England website, it is explained that pioneering technology will be used to monitor traffic levels; change the speed limit to smooth traffic flow; reduce the stop-start driving and improve journey times; activate warning signals to alert drivers of traffic jams and close lanes to allow emergency vehicles through.
Breakdown of incidents between 2016 - 2018
According to data obtained through the Department of Transfer's website, 2016 saw 54 reported accidents between this Junctions 10 and 13 of the M4 and tragically, three of these were fatal.
Of these, 42 were classed as 'slight' incidents, nine as 'serious' and three as fatal.
One fatal accident occurred on Junction 10, while two happened on Junction 11.
2017 saw less accidents overall, with 34 reported accidents taking place throughout the four junctions.
In this year, 28 were classed as 'slight', six as 'serious' and thankfully, zero as fatal.
The latest figures available are for the year 2018, where a slight increase of 38 incidents were reported.
Of these, 27 were deemed 'slight', nine 'serious' and two fatal.
On its website, Highways England said that there is already evidence that a Smart Motorway scheme can bring about benefits.
The company site the first Smart Motorway, which opened to traffic on the M42 motorway in 2006.
According to the website, it has been found that journey reliability improved by 22 per cent; personal injury accidents were reduced by more than half and, where accidents did occur, severity was much lower overall - with zero fatalities and fewer seriously injured.
Readers will remember the devastating M4 crash which killed three teachers from a Thatcham school in October 2018.
An inquest looked into the fact that road works being done as part of the Smart Motorway upgrades had a significant impact in the events.
Passengers Jay Aleixo, 44, from Thatcham, and Lorraine MacLellan, 60, from Farnborough, died at the scene when the minibus carrying them - as well as students from the specialist autism school, crashed on a section of the M4 with no hard shoulder due to roadworks.
Miss Gardiner, 52, of Reading, died at John Radcliffe Hospital the next day, and all three students from the school were injured in the crash.
It happened near junction 14 for Newbury on October 11, 2018.
At a recent inquest, Stephen Hall, who was driving the box van, described what he saw of the minibus before moving out of the way.
He said: "It was as if someone had taken the foot off the accelerator and went backwards.
"It was just a wall coming towards me."
Mr Scivier told the hearing his vision was blocked by the box van and he had little time to act after the van "swerved out of the way".
He said there was nothing he could do.
Mr Hall said he tried to stop to call the emergency services after the accident, but could not do so until a "couple minutes later" because of roadworks on the hard shoulder.
"I wish I could have made it earlier," said Mr Hall. "It might have made a difference, but I couldn't."
As a result of this, the coroner at the inquest asked H uighways England to look into its management of roadworks.
The tragedy is among one of the more notorious M4 incidents, and is a recent reminder of just how quickly disasters can escalate in such environments.
GOV.UK has released a guide on how to drive on a Smart Motorway.
Among the 'quick tips' they provide, they include: never driving in a lane closed by a Red X; keeping to the speed limits shown on the signs; the fact that a hard shoulder is always identified by a solid white unbroken line - and if there’s no speed limit displayed above it or a Red X is displayed, not to use it except in emergency.
Work on the stretch for Reading is due to end in January 2022.
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