Disruption fears as motorists face huge 40-mile diversion for A40 Over bridge repairs

Summary

Concerns have been raised over the impact the planned road closures for the A40 near Gloucester will have as motorists face a 40-mile diversion. National Highways will be carrying out the vital repairs Over Bridge, which carries the dual carriageway across the river and links Gloucester, Cheltenham and Ross-on-Wye, over the next eight months.

Details

The first overnight closures begin next week on the route which is vital for many commuters and sees around 5,000 vehicles an hour during peak times. Concerns were raised last month that there will be “major disruption” during the repairs which are planned to last until March next year with health chiefs saying staff and patients face double the travel time to get to hospital in the city.

The issue was discussed again at Gloucestershire County Council yesterday (June 24) with questions being raised over the impact the closures.. Drybrook and Lydbrook Councillor Piers Camp (R) asked if fire chiefs have independently modelled response times to communities west of the Severn during the overnight closures.

But Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (LD, Bourton-on-the-Water and Northleach), who is the cabinet member responsible for the fire service, said they have been reassured that access will be given “just like every other emergency service”. “If there are issues that come through, just let me know because we can then get straight onto National Highways as a result of that,” he said.

Cllr Camp also asked for a baseline condition survey of the county council-maintained roads where traffic will be diverted to during the planned works and whether costs to reapthem could be recouped from National Highways. Highways cabinet member Mark Harris, who (LD, Cirencester Park) said he would check with officers.

The A40 will be closed overnight on Monday, June 29 (8pm-6am) between the Over roundabout and Highnam roundabout for the installation of traffic management, with traffic diverted via the A417, A449 and A40. From Tuesday June, 30, the overtaking lane will be closed in both directions to enable works to the central barrier and the eventual installation of a contraflow later in the summer.

The dedicated slip road from the A417 Over Causeway to the A40 Westbound will remain closed for the duration of the works. Terry Robinson, the engineering lead for National Highways in the South West, said: “Many of the motorways and major A roads we manage were built around 60 years ago and need renewing to ensure they remain fit for purpose for generations to come.

“The A40 at Over is now in need of significant work, which is vital to keep drivers safe and the route running into the future.

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Report source: Gloucestershire Live