Decision on Gloucestershire’s new £930m M5 junction delayed
Summary
A decision over whether to spend up to £930million building a new motorway junction in Gloucestershire has been delayed. An announcement was expected this month over whether the government would back the M5 J9 and A46 (Ashchurch) Transport Scheme. It would see a new Junction 9a created, rerouting part of the A46 in Tewkesbury, which is considered one of the country’s most important trade routes.
Details
It runs for 155 miles from Gloucestershire across to Lincolnshire and has an economic output of £115billion – almost 10% of the entire English economy. However, the recent parliament changes, including a new Prime Minister, mean the government is now unlikely to make any new funding decisions on the project before September.
Last week fears were raised that the project could be “sacrificed” by Whitehall after it announced that a £15bn defence increase would see £700m slashed from roads projects. Despite this uncertainty Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) said it will forge ahead with developing the scheme.
On Wednesday (July 22) it will ask £2m to be signed off by cabinet so contractor AtkinsRealis can continue work on the Strategic Outline Case (SOC) and Outline Business Case (OBC) over the next eight months. The council has already spent more than five years and circa £17m developing the project, with the initial outline case submitted to the government in September 2022.
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Of this, £3m was contributed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG). Council bosses said the spend so far was “considered proportionate” to the cost of construction, currently estimated to be £740m to £930m. However, this figure could spiral up to £1bn or beyond if the scheme is delayed further.
It has already been seven years since the council announced plans to bid for funding for the project in 2019, with construction then targeted between 2025 and 2030 and costing £390m to £520m. However, i n March 2025 the council said would not be on site until 2030-2035.
It has not revealed how much further spending will be required but the Department of Transport (DfT) is expected to provide £5m towards the OBC if this stage is given the green light later this year. County bosses are then hoping to submit it by Autumn 2028 and have the project finally approved and handed over to National Highways for construction by Spring 2029.
A report going to cabinet said: “Whilst the additional delay is frustrating the county council continues to support and develop the scheme. “Many lobbying letters have been written to both the DfT and MHCLG, since the SOC was first submitted. “Local MPs have called for government support for the scheme, questions have been asked by the local MP in parliament and lobbying leaflets prepared.
Report source: Punchline Gloucester