Latest news with #A417MissingLink
Daily Mirror
31-07-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Spectacular new £460m road now connecting two major UK motorways
The multimillion pound investment is one of the country's most significant road developments in years, designed to eliminate traffic bottlenecks Gloucestershire is set to see a major transformation in its travel infrastructure with the A417 Missing Link project, which promises to be one of the county's most pivotal road upgrades in recent times. The initiative aims to enhance safety, alleviate traffic jams, and bolster connectivity between the Midlands and the South. A new dual carriageway is being constructed to link two crucial motorways, aiming to eradicate notorious traffic snarls and prevent drivers from using local roads as detours. The "Missing Link" itself is a notorious three-mile single-lane section on the A417, stretching from the Brockworth bypass to the Cowley Roundabout in Gloucestershire. In November 2022, the Government greenlit a £460 million investment to transform the current single carriageway into a state-of-the-art dual carriageway. National Highways has highlighted the importance of the A417/A419 route as it provides an alternative link between Gloucester and Swindon, circumventing the M5 and M4 near Bristol. The planned route will partly trace the existing A417 corridor west of the Air Balloon roundabout, while a new segment will forge a fresh path south and east, skirting around the current road, reports the Express. Additionally, the project includes constructing a new Shab Hill junction to facilitate connections between the A417, A436 towards Oxford, and Birdlip, as well as a new junction close to Cowley to take over from the existing Cowley Roundabout. Moreover, the current A417 stretch between the Air Balloon and Cowley roundabouts is set for a revamp: sections will be transformed into exclusive routes for pedestrians, cyclists, and equestrians, while other parts will remain accessible to local residents. Yet, motorists in Gloucester should brace for disruptions as the A417 will be shut between the Air Balloon roundabout and the A429 Burford roundabout across three weekends. The A417 is slated for temporary closure from the Air Balloon Roundabout to the A429 Burford Road junction over three weekend intervals this summer. The planned shutdowns are scheduled from 11pm on Friday 25 July until 6am on Monday 28 July, from 11pm on Friday 1 August to 6am on Monday 4 August, and once more from 11pm on Friday 29 August to 6am on Monday 1 September. These closures form part of the ongoing enhancement works and are likely to impact travel within Gloucestershire during these periods. National Highways Senior Project Manager Celine Acard commented: "We're making good progress on the scheme but to maintain the programme we need to employ the full closures on this section to facilitate essential work on the utilities chambers. "We fully appreciate that road closures can be frustrating, but we're unable to carry out the work while the road is open to traffic. "We've planned the diversions to minimise disruption, we're anticipating an additional 25 minutes to drivers' travel time and in the meantime we thank people for their co-operation and patience, and advise people to plan ahead and allow a little extra time for their journeys."
BBC News
03-07-2025
- BBC News
Dramatic pictures show huge scale of £460m A417 Missing Link work
Dramatic drone pictures show the scale of construction work required to build a dual shots from National Highways show just one part of the £460m A417 Missing Link scheme, which will span the three miles (5km) between Gloucester and June, workers began moving 10 huge, 100-tonne steel beams into place to support what will be the largest "green bridge" in the UK, serving walkers, cyclists and horse riders as well as wildlife. The Gloucestershire Way bridge at Shab Hill will cross the eight lanes of the dual carriageway and will be planted with native grass and hedges. Green bridges create a safe crossing point for wildlife and join up habitats, making animal populations more resilient, according to the National Highways project is due to be completed in 2027.
BBC News
18-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Footage shows progress on long-awaited A417 scheme
Ten beams - weighing 100 tonnes each - are being lifted into place to build the largest environmental bridge in the £460m A417 Missing Link Scheme in Gloucestershire will create a three-mile (4.8km) dual carriageway on the A417 between Gloucester and part of the project, 10 steel beams are being lifted to create the base of the Gloucestershire Way bridge at Shab crossing - which will be 197ft (60m) long and 121ft (37m) wide - will serve walkers, cyclists and horse riders, in addition to providing better connectivity for wildlife, National Highways said. Gavin Jones, Kier's project director for the scheme, said: "The green bridge is the centrepiece of the scheme, linking up habitats and the landscape on one side of the road to the other.""The focus is the ecology, the animals that are going to use it, but not forgetting the people - it's going to be a footpath as well."We're on budget, ahead of programme, and [have] a good safety record. I couldn't be prouder of the team," he added. As part of the project, 89ft (27m) of calcareous grassland and hedgerows will be planted on the Gloucestershire Way bridge to mirror the surrounding landscape. Deer, badgers, voles, insects and birds are hoped to be among the fauna to make use of Cotswolds' heritage will also be a part of the project, with each member of a stonemasonry team building about 8ft (2.5m) of traditional drystone wall each day to contribute to the eventual 4.3 miles (7km) finished product. Bernard McEnroe, manager of Master Stonemasons, said: "It's integrating the new with the old."You have a beautiful, brand new road - a fantastic thing. And then you look up and see what defines the Cotswolds: the dry stone wall."The scheme is due to be completed in 2027.
BBC News
03-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
FlyUp 417 Bike Park park reopening after 'stressful' A417 works
Owners of a bike park say they are excited to be reopening after an "incredibly stressful" FlyUp 417 bike park at Witcombe, Gloucestershire, has faced extended closures due to works on the nearby A417 Missing Link project. National Highways are building a new dual carriageway to replace an accident hotspot, close to the Air Balloon Foxley, A417 project director for National Highways, said they had worked to "minimise as far as practically possible" the impact on the bike park. Mr Foxley said the majority of the works on the FlyUp estate had now been completed, with seasonal landscape planting due to take place later in the Ruskin, 46, who owns the bike park with her 48-year-old husband Simon, said she had "mixed emotions" on the reopening."Obviously we're so excited to see customers back on the hillside, doing what we opened the place for - getting people back on their bikes. "It's just been incredibly stressful." Ms Ruskin said they had carried out site upgrades during the closures, including new toilets and will be doing other redevelopments. National Highways started the major A417 Missing Link scheme in March, building a new road scheme between Gloucester, Cirencester and Swindon to reduce traffic congestion. The authority said the revamped route was needed after "frequent and unpredictable" congestion and serious Ms Ruskin said she the new access road, which she described as a single track with a blind corner and built as part of the project, has "not been designed in the best way"."We do need people to be aware of all the signage around the site and be patient coming in and understand we have had no say in their design," she said.
BBC News
02-04-2025
- BBC News
Iconic Cotswold's 'look' maintained in road-building scheme
A scheme which will see 5.5 km (3.4 miles) of new dual carriageway built between Gloucester and Cirencester is also employing a team of traditional Highways, which is responsible for the A417 Missing Link project, say it will help the scheme blend into the landscape, help protect sites of special scientific interest and reinstate old walls that have fallen into Government-owned company says the traditional look of dry stone walls is part of the iconic nature of the work is a painstaking process - a team of 12 stonemasons has been on site since early 2024, building a metre of wall a day. They expect to be finished in the middle of 2026. The majority of the wall will follow alongside the new A417, with other sections along parts of the B4070 and Barrow Wake car team working on it were taught how to construct Cotswold stone walls by experts at the Dry Stone Walling is hoped an apprentice will be taken on in the summer so the skills can be passed on to the next generation. Bernard McEnroe, managing director of Master Stone Masons UK, said: "We're delighted to be involved in this incredible project, helping to preserve the timeless beauty and heritage of the Cotswolds."Dry stone walling is an age-old craft that not only defines the landscape but also embodies the skill, dedication, and craftsmanship passed down through generations."Preserving heritage is at the heart of what we do, and we are proud to play our part in keeping the Cotswolds' iconic landscape intact for future generations." Natasha James, senior ecologist on the project, added: "It's great to see the walls come to life, knowing that they will become a valuable habitat feature for many species as well as looking incredible."It is just great for the landscape and ecology of the scheme."It is also hoped the Missing Link work will create new hedgerows, scrubland and director Steve Foxley said: "Our work on this vital scheme goes beyond simply building a new road, but also helping to preserve and enhance the landscape."We're delighted to be able to support such worthwhile projects which will help to support and reconnect the A417 with local heritage and the landscape while also helping to keep traditional skills alive."
