Summary
Good news: it’s on! Starting soon in 2027, yesterday’s announcement confimed that we WILL see a major £372m upgrade for Piffs Elm Junction, aka M5 J10 near Cheltenham – the near £0.4bn spend meaning that you’ll be able to get on and off the motorway here from any direction. The bad news?
Details
The major enhancement to this restricted junction means it is going to be closed down for ALL exit and entry traffic for TWO YEARS – so you won’t be able to enjoy the benefits of the scheme until 2029.
Revealing the timetable and thinking for the scheme this week, Gloucestershire County Council said J10, which accesses the A419 for Cheltenham and the A38 Gloucester-Tewkesbury route, will be transformed into an “all-movements” junction, allowing drivers to join and leave the motorway in both directions for the very first time since the ribbon was cut on June 16, 1970 .
As well as the immediate benefits for the free flow of traffic, Shire Hall added that the improvement to what is now seen as a 56-year-old planning mistake will pave the way for 20,000 new homes in the locality, as well as facilitating progress for the economic vision in the Golden Valley.
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Cllr Julian Tooke, GCC Cabinet Member for Business, Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure, said: “The scheme is a major investment in Gloucestershire’s transport network that will improve connectivity locally and regionally, support economic growth and help unlock future development across the county.” With a series of public consultation events to ease communities into the disruption from the work being planned across November, council leaders say they acknowledge the significance of the two-year closure for commuters, businesses and residents – but all options were weighed up and full closure meant less prolonged disruption.
Shire Hall said: “The scheme will transform junction 10 into an all-movements junction, allowing drivers to join and leave the M5 in all directions for the first time ever.
It will also enable the delivery of over 20,000 new homes, including more than 7,000 affordable homes, and support the Golden Valley development and the National Cyber Innovation Centre and wider technology cluster in creating around 12,000 skilled jobs for local people.” Closure of the north-bound entry and south-bound exit lanes will take place “from early 2027”, it added.
“The M5 itself will remain open throughout the slip road closures. However, drivers will not be able to join the M5 northbound or leave the M5 southbound at junction 10 while the slip roads are closed. Withybridge Lane will also be closed during this period while work takes place.” Full-nuke option best?
Report source: Punchline Gloucester
