Major artery of county's road network set to close
Concerns remain about the impact of the closure of the A40 near Gloucester, which begins this evening, with motorists facing a 40-mile diversion.
Concerns continue to be raised about the impact the planned road closures for the A40 near Gloucester will have as motorists face a 40-mile diversion.
National Highways will be carrying out the vital repairs Over Bridge, which carries the dual carriageway across the river and links Gloucester, Cheltenham and Ross-on-Wye, over the next eight months.
Those closures begin tonight (June 8) and will continue in various guises until early 2027. More information is available on the National Highways website.
The route which is described as vital for many commuters, with an estimated 5,000 vehicles an hour during peak times travelling over the bridge into Gloucester, on to Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and beyond, to the M5, or to the Forest of Dean, the West and Wales.
Concerns were raised last month that there will be “major disruption” during the repairs which are planned to last until March next year with health chiefs saying staff and patients face double the travel time to get to hospital in the city.
And the issue was discussed again at Gloucestershire County Council (June 24) with questions being raised over the impact the closures..
Drybrook and Lydbrook Councillor Piers Camp (R) asked if fire chiefs have independently modelled response times to communities west of the Severn during the overnight closures.
But Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (LD, Bourton-on-the-Water and Northleach), who is the cabinet member responsible for the fire service, said they have been reassured that access will be given “just like every other emergency service”.
“If there are issues that come through, just let me know because we can then get straight onto National Highways as a result of that,” he said.
Cllr Camp also asked for a baseline condition survey of the county council-maintained roads where traffic will be diverted to during the planned works and whether costs to reap them could be recouped from National Highways.
Highways cabinet member Mark Harris, who (LD, Cirencester Park) said he would check with officers.
The A40 will be closed overnight on Monday, June 29 (8pm-6am) between the Over roundabout and Highnam roundabout for the installation of traffic management, with traffic diverted via the A417, A449 and A40.
From Tuesday June, 30, the overtaking lane will be closed in both directions to enable works to the central barrier and the eventual installation of a contraflow later in the summer.
The dedicated slip road from the A417 Over Causeway to the A40 Westbound will remain closed for the duration of the works.
Terry Robinson, the engineering lead for National Highways in the South West, said: “Many of the motorways and major A roads we manage were built around 60 years ago and need renewing to ensure they remain fit for purpose for generations to come.
“The A40 at Over is now in need of significant work, which is vital to keep drivers safe and the route running into the future.
“We’re expecting this work to cause delays in the area during this complex scheme and we’re advising users to plan their journeys and use alternative routes where possible, especially during peak hours.”
Having been built in the 1970s, the £7m investment will extend the life of the bridge and reduce the risk of unplanned closures for emergency maintenance work in the future, delivering a more resilient and more reliable route for local communities, businesses and freight.
From June 2026 to March 2027, National Highways will be carrying out repairs and maintenance work on the bridge including repairs to the concrete, new waterproofing, better drainage and other improvements.
The dual carriageway is a key part of the road network connecting Gloucester, Cheltenham and Ross on Wye and the A40 connects England and Wales.
The main works will see a mixture of lane closures, contraflows and a reduced speed limit of 30mph for the safety of motorists and workers.
There will also be some overnight closures with a clearly marked diversion route. This ensures the vital route can remain open for the majority the works whilst ensuring the safety of users and workers.
While the scheme is being delivered by National Highways, Gloucestershire County Council chiefs say they are taking action to manage the wider network and minimise disruption for residents, businesses and commuters.
Shire Hall chiefs have written directly to utility companies operating in the area, urging them to avoid carrying out non-essential works that could add to congestion during this period.
The council’s Streetworks Team will also assess all permit applications in the area on a case-by-case basis, helping to ensure any additional works are carefully coordinated and kept to a minimum.
Drivers are being encouraged to plan ahead and consider alternative routes where possible, particularly at peak times, as disruption is expected during the works.
National Highways’ schedule of closures for the A40 at Over:
June to March 2027 – Total closure A417 Over Causeway to A40 Westbound Slip Road
June to July 2026 – Lane 2 closures in both directions
July to October 2026 – Eastbound carriageway closure with single lane contraflow on the westbound carriageway
October 2026 to January 2027 – Westbound carriageway closure with single lane contraflow on the eastbound carriageway
January to February 2027 – Lane 2 closures in both directions
February to March 2027 – Removal of all traffic management
By Carmelo Garcia, local democracy reporter for Gloucestershire. carmelo.garcia@reachplc.com
*The Raikes Journal is the only independent news outlet in Gloucestershire approved to use the copy of the BBC local government reporting service. Why? Only independent, credible journalistically-led platforms that meet the BBC’s high standards win that permission.