preg_match for confusing string

[jnorton]

Hello,

I really need some help with following string:

M1;, Bedfordshire, Flitwick, M1; 12, A5120;

What I ideally want is for the string to look like:

M1, Bedfordshire, Flitwick, M1 - Junction 12, A5120

So basically I need to match the string part: M1; 12 and turn it into M1 - Junction 12 and then match any remaining semi-colon and delete it.

Please help as I have spent a couple of days scratching my head on this one.

Thanks,

Justin.

[logic_earth]

$s = 'M1;, Bedfordshire, Flitwick, M1; 12, A5120;';
$s = preg_replace('/([A-Z][0-9]); (\d+)/', '\\1 - Junction \\2', $s)
# M1;, Bedfordshire, Flitwick, M1 - Junction 12, A5120;
$s = str_replace(';', '', $s);
# M1, Bedfordshire, Flitwick, M1 - Junction 12, A5120

Or

$s = 'M1;, Bedfordshire, Flitwick, M1; 12, A5120;';
$s = preg_replace('/([^;]+);, ([^,]+), ([^,]+), ([^;]+); ([^,]+), ([^;]+);/', '\\1, \\2, \\3, \\4 - Junction \\5, \\6', $s);
# M1, Bedfordshire, Flitwick, M1 - Junction 12, A5120