GFirst LEP drive support for the A417 loop scheme

Chair of GFirst LEP, Dr Diane Savory OBE DL has appealed to the business community in Gloucestershire to pledge their support for a campaign for the A417 loop scheme to be included on the Highway Agency’s Route Based Strategy, in March this year.

Chair of GFirst LEP, Dr Diane Savory OBE DL has appealed to the business community in Gloucestershire to pledge their support for a campaign for the A417 loop scheme to be included on the Highway Agency’s Route Based Strategy, in March this year.

As a crucial link between the M4 and the M5, the A417 stretch of single carriageway near Nettleton Bottom represents a major gateway between the West Midlands and London. Used by more than 34,000 vehicles every day, this 5k section of the trunk road has become a notorious black spot for bottleneck delays, congestion and more recently, fatal accidents. Regarded by businesses as hampering economic growth across the region, this section of the A417 is not currently on the list of national routes by the Government to warrant financial investment and improvements.

In a bid to find a solution for the route, Diane took decisive action last year to contact the Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, Secretary of State for Transport the Secretary of State for Transport to ask for funding  to be made available in the next spending review period.

The A417 now features as the number one transport priority in the LEP Strategic Economic Plan to seek funding from the Government to address this issue by building an A417 loop.  In partnership with Gloucestershire County Council, businesses across the county are now being urged by GFirst LEP to sign their support for the new scheme by signing an online pledge by visiting www.a417missinglink.co.uk.

Dr Diane Savory OBE DL, Chair, GFirst LEP said: “Although not recognised by the Government as a national route, the A417 ‘Missing Link’ is already a major road for vehicles driving south from Birmingham being signed for London, even though it was not originally designed for this purpose. 

As part of the draft LEP Strategic Growth Plan that we have submitted to Government, it is imperative that we improve transport links within the county for business expansion and to help people have better access to jobs and services, as well as improve overall road safety. Unless a solution is found, congestion and long delays at the ‘Missing Link’ can only can get worse with increased volumes of traffic that will further impede local economic growth.”

If you would like to read more about the scheme you can download the prospectus here.