Highways England has a major programme of road investment planned in Gloucestershire for the coming year, with the county benefiting from over £35 million of investment to the road network.
The focus of significant work will be on the M5 between junctions 11 and 13. However, there will also be an important scheme taking place at Walham Viaduct on the A40, as well as a wide range of smaller improvements throughout the county.
Roads Minister Andrew Jones said: “As part of our long-term economic plan we’re committed to the biggest investment in roads in a generation. It’s vital that we use our transport infrastructure to create jobs and make it easier for people to see their family and friends. That’s why we’ve put £35 million into Gloucestershire’s roads.”
Highways England South West Regional Director, Andrew Page-Dove, added: “Our programme is already reaping great benefits in Gloucestershire with the completion of our pinch point scheme at Over Roundabout, where road users tell us that our work to reduce congestion is significantly cutting their journey times.”
Highways England’s maintenance investment includes a £15million programme of repairs on bridges over the M5 at junctions 11 and 13, which will ensure they stay safe and reliable for many years to come. By the end of March 2016, £12million will also be spent on resurfacing 114 lane miles in Gloucestershire in addition to the 144 lane miles already delivered in 2014 -15.
Work on the A40 at Walham Viaduct is scheduled to start at the end of June and will continue until autumn.
At junction 13, work is scheduled to begin in August 2015 and end in November 2016. At junction 11, work is scheduled to begin at the beginning of August 2015 and finish in January 2018.
Other work in Gloucestershire planned for this year includes a scheme between junctions 12 and 13, where we will install additional roadside signs to improve driver information. This will considerably enhance our ability to relay information to drivers and keep them informed about traffic conditions ahead. We will also improve signage on the A40.
