Gloucestershire Echo

Safety fears Concerns over traffic queuing on the hard shoulder of M5

- Will LUKER will.luker@reachplc.com

LINES of traffic queueing on the M5 is an accident waiting to happen say motorists as they battle past roadworks as they get off the motorway.

Commuters using the northbound exit at Junction 9 for Tewkesbury have been expressing their fears about long queues on the hard shoulder.

With land south of the A46 adjacent to the M5 currently being developed for the new Cotswold Designer Outlet, roadworks to improve the A46 have been ongoing since last year, but since last month that has been extended to upgrade the motorway junction.

The picture above shows traffic using the hard shoulder to exit the motorway and nearby motorists have been commenting on near misses with other road users cutting into the queue via the main carriagewa­y.

Numerous comments have been left on Tewkesbury Noticeboar­d Facebook group.

One user said: “We saw the near misses by cars trying to cut in, they were either aware that traffic was queuing or just being ignorant and not joining the queue”.

Another comment said: “Was sat in this at 8:30 this morning 1/2 mile back from junction 9. The amount of people going right up to the exit slip and stopping dead in lane one is unreal... it needs sorting asap. someone is going to be seriously injured if not killed!”

Others have been commenting on changing their journey with one saying, “J9 doesn’t exist to me anymore! I get off at 11 now as there is no way I’m putting my life in anyone else’s hands... deaths just waiting to happen”.

The work includes widening the M5 northbound slip road as it meets the A438 exit. Montel Engineerin­g in consultati­on with developer Robert Hitchins, National Highways and Gloucester­shire County Council, have been carrying out work to upgrade the junction.

In a sketch, Montel said the widening of the northbound exit is being undertaken to “increase overall vehicle capacity” and “ensure any increase in traffic due to the adjacent developmen­t does not impact the area”.

With the roadworks requiring 24-hour attention seven days a week, “a permanent lane closure on the M5 J9 northbound off slip” has been enforced but the “rest of this slip road will remain open for the duration of the works” with “minimal delays expected due to this safety precaution”.

In a tweet, Tewkesbury MP Laurence Robertson said: “I have been liaising with National Highways and Montel to raise concerns about Junction 9. My office will continue to work with them to explore appropriat­e solutions as a matter of urgency”.

National Highways spokesman Adrian Simon said: “Since concerns were raised with us concerning the impact of third party work at the M5 Junction 9 northbound exit slip road, we have acted to mitigate the potential safety risks caused by queuing at the junction.

“The safety of those who travel and work on our roads is our highest priority and after setting signage to warn approachin­g motorists on the motorway, we have also arranged for an adjustment in the traffic signal timing and will be installing a mandatory 50mph speed limit between junctions 10 and 9 to reduce the speed of approachin­g traffic.

“The measures have been implemente­d to minimise disruption and improve safety, and we’ll continue to monitor the effect of works in this location.”

The safety of those who travel and work on our roads is our highest priority Adrian Simon

 ?? Picture: Will Luker ?? Traffic using the hard shoulder to exit the M5 northbound at Junction 9
Picture: Will Luker Traffic using the hard shoulder to exit the M5 northbound at Junction 9

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