The long-anticipated improvements to junction 9 of the M5 in Gloucestershire are under threat as the Government reallocates £700 million from the roads budget to boost defence spending. This decision casts doubt on the future of the proposed junction 9a development, a key infrastructure project designed to alleviate chronic traffic congestion near Tewkesbury.
Gloucestershire County Council has been advancing plans to construct a new junction 9a south of Tewkesbury and reroute part of the A46 between the M5 and Teddington Hands roundabout. This “traffic-busting” scheme aims to resolve long-standing jams, improve journey times, and provide critical infrastructure to support existing communities and future expansion.
The project’s cost was previously estimated between £740 million and £930 million in 2024. Alongside easing traffic woes, the new junction would facilitate up to 25,000 new homes within the Tewkesbury Garden Communities development. It also promises to unlock around 100 hectares of employment land, focusing on sectors such as advanced manufacturing and defence, thereby driving local jobs and investment.
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Importantly, the junction is a vital link in the Trans-Midlands Trade Corridor, a strategic route connecting the South West, Midlands, and North East of England. However, councillors at Shire Hall are increasingly concerned as the government prioritizes defence expenditure over regional infrastructure.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Julian Tooke, responsible for planning and infrastructure at Gloucestershire County Council, expressed grave worries about the funding shift. “The Government has made clear its expectation that councils meet ambitious housing targets accompanied by improved infrastructure,” he said. “With potential reallocation of funds to defence, Gloucestershire’s essential improvements at M5 junction 9 and the A46 risk being sacrificed.”
Vernon Smith, Reform UK councillor for Tewkesbury West, echoed these fears, calling the funding uncertainty a “betrayal” to the area. “For over 30 years, residents in Ashchurch have endured gridlock, heavy lorry traffic, and unreliable journeys. Just as a solution is finally within our reach, this government risks snatching it away,” he stated. “You cannot finance national defence by letting our county’s most important road scheme deteriorate. Thousands of homes are planned for Tewkesbury, yet without junction 9 improvements, the garden town’s future is in jeopardy, and local residents will suffer daily.”
The Department for Transport has not commented on the future funding of junction 9a. Recent government announcements include an additional £15 billion allocated to the Defence Investment Plan between 2026-27 and 2029-30, with total defence spending set to increase by £60 billion over four years compared to previous plans.
As part of this shift, departments have been asked to contribute 1p of every pound from their capital budgets towards defence. The Department for Transport plans to save up to £700 million by cutting back on roads funding. Proposed reductions may include cancelling projects such as the A38 Derby Junctions and A46 Newark bypass, both of which have not yet entered the contract phase.
Despite these cutbacks, the government states it remains committed to funding local road repairs, maintaining rail investments including Northern Powerhouse Rail, and ensuring bus and rail services remain unaffected.
The future of Gloucestershire’s M5 junction 9a, however, hangs in the balance as the county awaits a clear funding commitment to sustain this vital infrastructure project.