Moves underway to complete work at vital motorway junction
A motorway junction which was completed three years could finally be connected to the road network.
The new junction of the M49 was designed to provide easy access to the huge Severnside logistics park.
But a dispute over funding has meant that a link road which connected the motorway to the nearby roads was never built.
South Gloucestershire Council has now submitted a planning application in a bid to resolve the long-running issue.
Once approved the short link road will create direct access from the Severnside industrial and enterprise area to the motorway network and help relieve congestion on local roads.
As well as building the link road, further improvements will also be made to a nearby cycle path which is part of the National Cycle Network.
The council has secured £7m of funding from the Department for Transport to deliver the project, and is working closely with everyone involved to progress the new link road to the west of the M49 junction as soon as possible.
Work is due to start on site later in 2023, but the council say the timeframe could be subject to change and is dependent on the planning process and land ownership discussions.
Construction is expected to take around 12 months to complete.
The council says it is continuing to work with landowners to secure the land as quickly as possible.
In order to achieve this councillors will be considering progression of a Compulsory Purchase Order process.
Steve Reade, cabinet member with responsibility for planning and transport, said: “We remain committed to getting this link road built and this planning application is an important milestone to getting this done.
“Once constructed, the new link road will relieve congestion, making South Gloucestershire roads safer and provide vital access to help realise the economic potential of the Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area.”
The Local Planning Authority will shortly launch a public consultation, providing an opportunity for people to comment on the application which will be available to view online at www.southglos.gov.uk/planning-applications
