Aston Magna, a small village on the edge of the Cotswolds, will effectively be cut off from road access for four days due to essential resurfacing works. Starting today, May 14, a 500-metre stretch of road will be resurfaced, with closures affecting the village until Tuesday, May 19.
The closures will be enforced daily between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., excluding the weekend. While the resurfacing covers a short section of road, the closure area extends considerably, blocking all routes into Aston Magna. Residents will be unable to drive into or out of the village during these hours.
Specifically, the road will be closed for approximately one mile south toward Batsford and west toward Draycott. To the east, the closure stretches 1.5 miles to the A429 Roman Road, and it extends two miles north to Paxford. Although a diversion route links the southern and eastern closure points—from Shoals Lane Coppice near Dorn Hill to the A429 Roman Road north of Lower Lemington—no alternative routes are available for entering or exiting Aston Magna itself.
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A letter sent to residents last month explained the necessity of the closure under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, highlighting safety concerns for both workers and the public. The letter acknowledges the inconvenience but emphasizes that the extended closure area allows machinery and materials to be moved safely during the resurfacing.
Residents will retain limited pedestrian access where footways exist, and emergency vehicles will be permitted through. In exceptional cases, vehicular access may be granted on a case-by-case basis if it does not impede the work or compromise safety; however, this access would be at the driver’s own risk.
A Gloucestershire County Council spokesperson stated, “Residents will continue to have access to their properties, but it will be very limited at times while the resurfacing works are underway. Due to the extent of the work beyond key junctions, through routes will be unavailable during working hours. These measures are necessary to ensure the safety of both residents and road workers.”
For ongoing updates and details on the resurfacing project, residents are encouraged to follow Gloucestershire Roads on social media channels.