When and where to have your say on plan for £435m new route
» FROM tomorrow members of the public will be able to have their say on the latest design of the A417 Missing Link scheme and find out how it will affect them.
Earlier this year Highways England chose a preferred route for a new 3.4-mile dual carriageway which will cost £435 million, known as Option 30.
Option 30 initially set out the new road would have a 70mph speed limit and short road connecting Birdlip to the A417.
Road crossings for pedestrians and cyclists would be included and the Air Balloon and Cowley roundabouts would be removed.
The A417 runs between Gloucester, Cirencester and Swindon and is used by many motorists travelling between London and the West Midlands as a shortcut between the M4 and the M5.
The existing road bottlenecks at the Air Balloon roundabout near Birdlip.
Details of how the new proposals will look will be made available tomorrow.
Highways England is asking the public to submit feedback responses by 11.59pm on Friday, November 8.
Here’s how the public can explore the proposals and talk to members of Highways England:
» Monday, September 30, from 2pm to 8pm at Gloucester Rugby Club, Kingsholm Road, Gloucester, GL1 3AX
» Thursday, October 3, from 2pm to 7pm at National Star College, Ullenwood, GL53 9QU
» Saturday, October 5, from 11am to 6pm at Witcombe and Bentham Village Hall, Pillcroft Road, Witcombe, GL3 4TB
» Monday, October 7, from 11am to 6pm at St Andrew’s Church Hall, Montpellier Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1SP
» Wednesday, October 9, from 2pm to 7pm at Birdlip Church, Birdlip, GL4 8JH
» Friday, October 11, from 11am to 6pm at Cirencester Town Council, Bingham House, 1 Dyer Street, Cirencester, GL7 2PP
» Tuesday, October 15, from 2pm to 8pm at Churchdown Community Association, Parton Road, Churchdown, Gloucester, GL3 2JH
Timeline
» December 2014: Scheme announced
» February to March 2018: Route options consultation
» April 2018 to Spring 2019: Selection and development of preferred route
» Spring 2019: Preferred route announcement
» September 2019: Statutory consultation
» Spring 2020: DCO proposals are submitted to the planning inspectorate