After a 15-year campaign and a £460 million investment, a significant upgrade to the A417 road officially opens to traffic today, September 18. The project addressed the infamous “missing link” between Cowley and Brockworth, a two-mile stretch that was the last single-carriageway section on the route connecting Italy to Scotland.
Handling around 31,000 vehicles daily-approximately 14% of which are heavy goods vehicles-the stretch was notorious for traffic bottlenecks, accidents, and fatal collisions. To resolve these longstanding issues, Kier was awarded a £460 million contract in April 2022 to design and deliver a 5.5km dual carriageway connecting the Brockworth bypass to the dual carriageway south of Cowley.
Preparatory work started in February 2023, with phased construction commencing in early 2024. Today, from 6am, a new permanent traffic layout takes effect, officially removing the “missing link” title, although some roadworks will continue.
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Motorists can now travel the entire A417 between Gloucester and Cirencester without negotiating roundabouts. Northbound journeys from Cirencester can proceed directly towards Gloucester without turning off at Shab Hill junction. Likewise, traffic from Gloucester will continue straight on the new A417 towards Cirencester, with the Air Balloon roundabout removed to improve flow.
Additional infrastructure, including the new B4070 leading to Birdlip and the northbound slip road at Cowley junction, is scheduled to open later this year. Birdlip remains accessible via the current route through Cowley junction.
These changes will particularly affect drivers travelling to Gloucester from Cheltenham via Leckhampton Hill or from Oxford via Seven Springs and the A436. While no direct route will link Cheltenham and Oxford to Gloucester, drivers can use the new A436 to reach Shab Hill junction and either continue towards Cirencester or access the southbound slip road to Gloucester via an underpass.
Overnight road closures this week between the A46 Brockworth Junction and the Air Balloon roundabout allowed for the safe implementation of the new layout. Although traffic management on the newly opened link is ongoing, authorities expect improvements in journey times despite initial delays during the transition.
Celine Acard, National Highways Senior Project Manager, described the milestone as a reflection of significant progress and collaboration. She emphasised the upgrade’s long-term benefits for safety, reliability, and local communities.
Gavin Jones, Kier Project Director, highlighted that the A417 can now be traversed from the M5 to the M4 without encountering roundabouts, effectively consigning the “missing” link to history. Jones noted that work will continue alongside the live carriageway to complete additional lanes and transform the former A417 into a footpath, bridleway, and cycle route.
The full project is anticipated to be completed by 2027. Officials thanked the public and stakeholders for their support and patience throughout the process.