top of page
Writer's pictureSafer Highways

Date work finally begins on building huge new A417 bypass in Gloucestershire

Motorists have got used to road closures, diversions and the changing landscape along the A417 around the Air Balloon roundabout in recent weeks and months. But all this work, however big, has been the preamble to the real work starting on building a 3.4-mile dual-carriageway.


National Highways has now said when construction work will finally begin on a brand new road that will eventually replace the notorious single-carriageway between the Air Balloon and Cowley roundabouts around Birdlip. This stretch is a bottle-neck and the scene of numerous serious and fatal collisions over the years.


From April this year, what is called 'offline' work will begin. Up to now, work has been carried out on the 'live' road network - whether that has been clearance work, road-widening on the Crickley Hill section, or building site entrances.


In its latest update, National Highways said preliminary works have been continuing since the start of 2024. It said: "As well as building a new site entrance close to the Air Balloon roundabout, we’ve been busy widening a section of carriageway on the A417 so that we can keep traffic moving more smoothly during the next phase of construction.


"In April, we'll be ready to start building the new section of the A417. This section is to the south and east of the Air Balloon roundabout and is referred to as ‘offline’ as it is away from the existing road network."


When completed in Spring 2027, the new road will provide seamless travel from the M5 at Brockworth to the M4 at Swindon. The Air Balloon and Cowley roundabouts will remain for local traffic.


National Highways’ A417 Missing Link scheme includes


3.4 miles of new dual carriageway connecting the existing A417 Brockworth bypass with the existing A417 dual carriageway south of Cowley;


the section to the west of the existing Air Balloon roundabout would follow the existing A417 corridor. However, the section to the south and east of the Air Balloon roundabout would be offline, away from the existing road corridor;


a new junction at Shab Hill, providing a link from the A417 to the A436 towards Oxford and into Birdlip;


a new junction near Cowley, replacing the existing Cowley roundabout;


the existing A417 between the Air Balloon roundabout and the Cowley roundabout

would be repurposed, converting some lengths of this existing road into a route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, while retaining other sections to maintain local access for residents.


58 views0 comments

Comments


Recent Blog Posts

NEWS AND UPDATES

bottom of page