Gloucestershire M5 junction to close for two years

A junction on the M5 in Gloucestershire will be shut for two years so work can be carried out to upgrade it.

Junction 10 is getting a multi-million pound upgrade which, when completed, will mean drivers will be able to leave and join it whether they are travelling north or southbound on the motorway - options which are currently not available.

The scheme, which also includes upgrading surrounding roads, is expected to cost £372m in total.

County councillor Julian Tooke said slip road closures will be needed so "the most complex parts of the work" can be carried out safely and quickly.

Currently, drivers heading south can leave the motorway at Junction 10, while those heading north to Birmingham can join the carriageway there.

But the slip roads will close next year and are unlikely to open again until 2029.

Withybridge Lane, which connects Tewkesbury Road to the Old Gloucester Road will also be closed.

The M5 will remain open throughout the works.

"We know this will be difficult for people who use junction 10 and nearby roads," Tooke said.

He added that different approaches were considered "but some options do increase safety risks, cost more and create more changes for drivers".

Gloucestershire County Council said the M5 will remain open during the junction 10 improvements.

"There will be a need for careful liaison and coordination of activity across the roads network," said Andrew Jackson, programme leader at National Highways.

The team in charge is looking at how the closures could affect nearby roads and communities, according to Gloucestershire County Council.

Gloucestershire County Council, which is leading the project, said the junction 10 improvements will help the building of 20,000 new homes.

It will also support the Golden Valley Development and the Cyber Innovation Centre.

The road improvements near junction 10 will include widening the A4019 and creating a new link road between the junction and West Cheltenham.

Funding is coming from the UK Government's Housing Infrastructure Fund and Community Infrastructure Levy funding.

Council events will be held in November so locals can find out more about the work and ask questions.

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