New look Fresh designs for A417 work revealed before consultation
NEW designs for the A417 Missing Link scheme will be revealed this month ahead of another round of public consultation.
Highways England, which is behind the £435million project to fix the notorious blackspot, wants to go back to the public for feedback on crossings, designs and the rerouteing of roads.
The new dual-carriageway will connect the M4 at Swindon to the M5 in Gloucestershire, with 3.6 miles of new road also linking the A417 Brockworth bypass with the A417 south of Cowley
It was supposed to open for 2024 but Highways England confirmed last month the road will be ready for motorists to use by the end of 2025.
Highways England said changes made following the last consultation “will benefit local connectivity, accessibility and reduce the impact on communities, the environment, and the local landscape”.
The online consultation will run from October 13 to November 12.
The feedback from this consultation will help Highways England develop its application for a Development Consent Order ) that it plans to submit early next year.
The changes Highways England says it wants feedback on:
» new crossings: Cotswold Way and Gloucestershire Way crossings
» the change in gradient of the A417 as it climbs the escarpment near Crickley Hillthe design of Cowley junction
» the rerouting of the B4070 to Birdlip via Barrow Wake
» improvements for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, including disabled users
» the replacement of Common Land, which is a type of green spacethe change in environmental effects as a result of the new design
Earlier this year it was revealed that submission of the project to the Planning Inspector had been delayed to 2021, partly because of National Trust’s objection to a proposed green bridge on its land, which would allow walkers to cross the new road at Crickley Hill.
The consultation events will take place over the internet from the following dates and times, and a member of the Highways England team will respond via a webchat:
» October 13: 11am - 2pm, 6pm - 8pm
» October 16: 8am - 11am, 4pm - 7pm
» October 17: 9am - 1pm
» October 20: 11am - 2pm
» October 22: 6pm - 9pm
» October 24: 1pm - 4pm
» October 27: 8am - 11am
» October 29: 2pm - 5pm
» November 2: 10am - 1pm, 6pm - 9pm
» November 4: 4pm - 7pm
» November 7: 9am - 1pm
» November 10: 8am - 11am, 6pm 9pm » November 12: 8am - 11am There will also be five live Q&A events focusing on different topics, which are:
Safety, traffic and engineering. October 19, 9:30am - 11am
Landscape, wildlife and habitats. October 20, 9:30am - 11am
Local access and public rights of way. October 21, 9:30am - 11am
Land, property, business and tourism. October 22, 9:30am - 11am
Looking ahead - submission, examination and construction. October 23, 9:30am - 11am.
You can register for these by emailing A417missinglinkatairballoon@highwaysengland.co.uk.
The project would see a new junction at Shab Hill, providing a link from the A417 to the A436 towards Oxford and into Birdlip.