Safety improvements on the A46 in Gloucestershire
A £1.5m Highways Agency project to improve safety and access to a major motorway junction in Gloucestershire will get underway this month (31 March 2014).
The scheme, which is due to finish by the end of June, will provide safety improvements for pedestrians, as well as capacity improvements to reduce congestion. It will take place on the A46 between Ashchurch and Aston Cross, and on the slip roads on junction 9 of the M5.
The scheme is part of the Government’s £317m Pinch Point improvement programme designed to boost local economies, reduce congestion and improve safety on the strategic road network in England.
All work will take place overnight between the hours of 8pm and 6am. Overnight closures of the M5 northbound entry slip road and southbound exit slip road, and clearly signed diversions, will be used for a period of two weeks for each slip road during the programme. Elsewhere the work will be carried out overnight using lane closures and temporary traffic signals.
Highways Agency project sponsor Jess Kenny said:
This significant investment at junction 9 of the M5 will help to provide safer and more reliable journeys, and is designed to help stimulate new development and local economic growth by improving road safety and tackling congestion bottle necks.
Total closures of the A46 are not planned but temporary traffic signals and lane closures will have an impact, so we would advise motorists to leave extra time for journeys.
At junction 9 of the M5 a controlled pedestrian crossing at the northbound entry slip road and southbound exit slip road will be installed.
The work at the A46 junction with Alexandra Way includes widening of the existing junction to provide an additional westbound lane, and improvements to the existing traffic signals. New pedestrian crossing facilities are also being provided.
Existing traffic signals at the A46 junction with the B4079 at Aston Cross will also be improved.
For the work along the A46 at Alexandra Way and Aston Cross a series of lane closures and three-way temporary traffic signals will be used. Access to properties and businesses will be maintained and the A46 will be fully opened to traffic during the day.
The A46 between M5 junction 9 and Aston Cross is planned to remain open at all times during the work.
All other diversion routes will be clearly signposted. When the M5 southbound exit-slip is closed at junction 9, traffic will be diverted along the M5 southbound to junction 11 where traffic will turn off, and re-join the M5 northbound back to junction 9.
When the M5 northbound entry slip road at junction 9 is closed, traffic will be diverted onto the M5 southbound to junction 11 where traffic will re-join the M5 northbound back to junction 9.
When the B4079 southbound is closed at its junction with the A46 at Aston Cross, traffic will use the B4079 southbound along the A46 to Teddington Hands Inn roundabout, taking the third exit onto the A435 and re-joining the B4079. This route will be used in both directions. The length of the diversion route is approximately 4 miles in total.
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000
Media enquiries
Journalists should contact the Highways Agency press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer