What's in this issue
Welcome to the July edition of our A417 Missing Link newsletter. In here you’ll find out more about what’s happening on the project including:
- Project update
- Upcoming roadworks
- Other work happening in the area
- Archaeology update
- Environmental update
- Out and about in the community
- Road enhancements on the A417
- Advice to have a safe TRIP this summer
- How to contact us
Project update
Work on the project has progressed well. We’ve completed the foundation piling works at Shab Valley and the team have now started piling at Stockwell to prepare for the Stockwell overpass. Having now completed the earthworks in the area, we’re also currently building the support columns for the Gloucestershire Way Crossing. Work is also progressing well at Grove Farm, with drainage mats being laid in preparation for further work.
The Cowley Roundabout contraflow, which was introduced at the beginning of the month, is proving effective and traffic is flowing well with no delays reported. This is necessary so we can create a safe working space as we start to build Cowley junction, where the new section of the A417 will tie into the existing carriageway.
The project has also maintained its status as an Ultra Site under the Considerate Contractors Scheme.
Upcoming roadworks
Closure of Barrow Wake viewpoint car park – July 2024 to March 2025
We’re building a new dry-stone wall and installing drainage at Barrow Wake viewpoint.
To allow us to complete the work safely, we’ve closed Barrow Wake viewpoint car park until March 2025. Local businesses will remain open as normal.
Anyone wishing to visit the local area should use alternative parking options. Please be aware there may be parking changes at alternative car parks.
Closure of Leckhampton Hill – Monday 5 August to Sunday 22 September
We’ll be closing Leckhampton Hill from Monday 5 August to Sunday 22 September. The closure will allow us to undertake work on the road.
We’ve phased our work to minimise disruption as much as possible:
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Phase 1 will see work taking place at Ullenwood Cricket Club with no disruption to the travelling public.
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Phase 2 will run from Monday 5 August to Sunday 25 August. During this phase, Leckhampton Hill will be closed just past Crickley Hill to the junction of Ullenwood Manor Road. You will not be able to access Ullenwood Manor Road from the A436 as there will be a hard closure at this point to stop large volumes of traffic using an unsuitable road past National Star College and residents.
- During phase 3, the road will be closed from the new temporary roundabout at the Leckhampton Hill junction to the entrance of Crickley Hill. This closure will be in place from Tuesday 27 August to Sunday 22 September.
To access Crickley Hill, National Star College and Cotswold Hills Golf Club please follow signed diversions.
You can find more information about diversion routes and access on our webpage.
Other work happening in the area
All roadworks and planned road closures on motorways and major A roads, including the A417, are published on the Traffic England website.
We also publish a Road Closure Report that includes a seven day look ahead of planned road closures. This is updated twice a day, Monday to Friday except for bank holidays.
You can also find the latest information about local road closures managed by Gloucestershire County Council, on its webpage.
Archaeology update
Since May, Oxford Cotswold Archaeology (OCA) have continued work in areas of the scheme, as well as monitoring and recording groundworks. In total, they’ve spent nearly 120,000 hours (15,000 working days) on the project.
The team have continued to uncover ancient findings, including another 6.5 metre-deep Roman well and more silver Roman coins dating back to the late 2nd century AD. During wider site stripping, the team have also identified a pair of roundhouses, likely dating back to the Iron Age.
Our advanced excavation phase has now finished, with the completion of the final two areas. OCA will remain on site monitoring groundworks into 2027.
Finally, we had the BBC team visit us again to film for the next series of “Digging for Britain”. You can watch the program on BBC when it airs in January next year.
Environmental update
The environmental team has been continuing to monitor the movements of species living along the A417. We’ve monitored bats, birds, reptiles and badgers, all who have adapted to their new environments well, following being relocated by the team.
We’ll continue our monitoring work this month and are also forward planning for early planting, which will take place in some areas this Autumn.
Award win!
We’re delighted to share that the environmental team attended the Green Apple Environmental Awards, winning Gold in the Environmental Best Practice in Building and Construction category!
Launched in 1994 by The Green Organisation, the GAEA is an annual international campaign, which recognises and rewards environmental best practice around the world. We’re delighted that the scheme has been recognised in this way and will continue to deliver the project whilst conserving and enhancing the character of the Cotswold's Area.
Congratulations to all other winners.
Out and about in the community
This month we had the first of our exclusive open days that we’re holding throughout the summer to provide you with the opportunity to see how construction is progressing.
These sessions are now fully booked, but we'll be looking to hold more open days as our scheme progresses. Keep an eye on our webpage for new dates as they become available.
Road enhancements aims to improve safety on A417
We’re always exploring ways to improve safety on our roads and we’re pleased to have delivered a minor safety enhancement on the A417 between Nettleton to Birdlip Hill. Between 2017-2021, five serious collisions were recorded involving a vehicle crossing the road’s dashed centre line.
We’ve replaced the existing dashed line with a continuous double white centre line, between the junctions with the B4070 and Cowley Lane. This safety enhancement will help discourage overtaking manoeuvres. In addition, we’ve installed over 600 solar road studs along the 1.3-mile stretch, on both sides of the road to help define the layout of road – highlighting junctions and entry/exit slip roads to all road users.
The red and green studs provide additional visibility at critical junctions, improving visibility to drivers at night-time, as well as in in poor weather conditions.
Find out other benefits of the scheme via our website.
Have a safe TRIP this summer
Road safety is, and will always be, our number one priority. England’s motorways and major A-roads are some of the safest in the world, but our ambition remains that no-one should be harmed while travelling or working on our roads.
To have safe T.R.I.P this summer, follow these steps before you embark on any long journey:
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Top-up – fuel/battery, oil and screen-wash
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Rest – plan your rest stops every two hours
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Inspect – tyre pressure and tread
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Prepare – for all weather conditions
Contact us
You can keep up to date with the latest scheme news by visiting our website, emailing or phoning us, or following us on X (formerly Twitter) or Facebook -
Webpage: nationalhighways.co.uk/a417-missing-link/
Email: A417MissingLink@nationalhighways.co.uk
Phone: 0300 123 5000
X: @HighwaysSWEST
Facebook: @HighwaysSWEST
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