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What's in this issue
Welcome to the October edition of our A417 Missing Link newsletter. In here you’ll find out more about what’s happening on the project including:
- New newsletter coming soon
- Project update
- Upcoming roadworks
- Other work happening in the area
- Speeding warning to drivers
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Community Support - GWAAC
- National Customer Service Week
- National Highways TRIP campaign
New Newsletter coming soon.....
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Project update
The A417 Missing Link project achieved a major milestone in September as it reached the halfway mark since construction started in Spring 2023.
Since the scheme hit the ground in spring 2023, there have been over 2,000,000 hours of work with around 500 people working on site each day. Here are some more interesting stats about the project so far:
Work on the scheme is progressing at pace. We recently lifted into place 53 20-tonne concrete beams which form the new underbridge at Shab Valley junction.
The underbridge will be 20 metres wide and 62 metres long and will provide access to and from the main carriageway. Now that the beams are in place, work has started to build the carriageway which sits on top. Once open, the bridge will require minimal maintenance through its lifetime and, most importantly, the A417 will not need to be closed in order for it to be carried out.
Month in pictures
Scroll down to see what we've been up to over the last month.
A46 Brockworth Junction to Air Balloon Roundabout
Bat Tunnel being installed
Shab junction
Shab junction
The B4070
Upcoming roadworks
There are currently no closures planned during October as part of the A417 scheme.
Other work happening in the area
Where to find more information
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.
Speed warning after 13,000 drivers get ticket
Kill your speed not one of our roadworkers’ - that’s our message to drivers after Gloucestershire Police revealed more than 13,000 drivers have been prosecuted for speeding through the A417’s 40mph sections of roadworks since the cameras were installed in November 2024.
There are two 40mph sections as part of our scheme: between the Highwayman Inn/Elkstone junction and Nettleton Bottom, and between the A46 and Air Balloon roundabout. Complying with the 40mph speed limit adds less than a minute to drivers’ journeys.
Deputy PCC and Chair of Gloucestershire’s Road Safety Partnership Nick Evans said: “It may be a cliché, but speed limits are there for a reason; to keep everyone on our roads safe.
“That’s especially important around roadworks, where roadworkers are incredibly vulnerable, and the road is not in its normal state. Please allow a little more time for your journey and think of the workers by the side of the road who, just like you, have families that are expecting them home.”
Community Support
National Highways recently donated £10,000 to the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) to trial life-saving equipment and training for teachers at 30 schools.
The ‘Junior Hearts’ CPR teaching programme provides Year Six teachers with a comprehensive lesson plan, training film, infographic pillowcases and digital teaching resources so they can equip students with effective skills in CPR and how to use a defibrillator.
GWAAC is called to more cardiac arrests than any other type of incident. There are over 3000 cardiac arrests in the South West of England every year, with an out-of-hospital survival rate of less than one in 10. It’s hoped that National Highways and GWAAC can reduce the number of avoidable deaths by rolling the programme out across GWAAC’s region of Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire, Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and parts of Wiltshire.
It is hoped that all 571 schools across Gloucester, Bath, North East Somerset, and Bristol will eventually participate in the training.
National Customer Service Week
The first week of October was National Customer Service Week and to mark this occasion, we produced a short video talking about what customer service means on the A417 Missing Link scheme. Watch our video by clicking here.
Did you know that our Customer Hub is open every Tuesday and Wednesday between 10am and 2pm? You can speak to members of our team, who can tell you about our work and answer your questions.
Perhaps something about the numbers who have visited this year? 2298 people to site through MOP visits, external and internal presentations and visits to see the project
Mention Smiley Face? leave your thoughts or tell us what you would like to see.
Our address is A417 Project Office, Birdlip, Gloucester, GL4 8JX. Directions can be found on our webpage.
You can also use What3words: ///shaped.quietest.payback
Site restrictions must be adhered to, which is 10mph. Please reverse park.
This month we caught up with Lab Manager, Jon Cowper
What is your job title?
Lab Manager for Socotec
How long have you worked on the A417 scheme?
I have been on site from July 2024
What is involved in your role?
My role is to manage requests from Kier to do material sampling across the A417 scheme. This could include clay, class 1 material (rock and stone) and to ensure that all material to be used on site is classified to National Highways specifications. Once we have tested the material, we report back to Kier and their client on the findings. We also test the strength of the ground to ensure a safe environment to take the weight bearing once the material has been placed in situ.
What does your typical day look like?
My day consists of analysing reports and feeding back important information to all teams. I may need additional information or find a solution to a problem. No day is ever the same.
Tell us something interesting that people don’t know about the scheme or the work that you do!
I’m making a real difference on the project through the work that the team and Socotec do, and this will aid the completion of the new road. For me personally, this project is making a difference to everyone who will use it and being a part of that makes me proud.
I particularly like the idea that we have an environmental bridge, the Gloucestershire Wildlife Crossing which will have a big impact on the wildlife in the area. We are all leaving a legacy for years to come.
Have a safe T.R.I.P.
Did you know that almost three in 10 (29%) drivers don’t consider the need for rest stops when planning journeys?
As well as completing your necessary vehicle checks before setting off, taking the time to plan rest stops in advance can help you reach your destination safely and with minimal stress. By planning thoughtful stops along the way – whether at service stations, or at nearby cultural and heritage sites, you will help make the journey part of the adventure and ensure you are well rested.
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 -
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