DRIVERS have been advised to plan their journeys ahead of overnight closures as the A417 Missing Link scheme prepares to move to the next stage.

The A417 at Crickley Hill, just after the Air Balloon roundabout, will be closed to all traffic midweek overnight (from 8pm until 6am) for a seven-week period so that widening works can take place.

The first set of overnight closures on Crickley Hill will start on Monday, October 16 and finish on Friday, October 20.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard: A map showing where the widening work will take placeA map showing where the widening work will take place (Image: National Highways)

Other closure dates include:
 
•    Monday, October 23 - Friday, October 27
•    Monday, October 30 - Thursday, November 2
•    Monday, November 6 - Thursday, November 9
•    Monday, November 13 - Friday, November 17
•    Monday, November 20 -  Friday, November 24
•    Monday, November 27 - Wednesday, November 29
•    Friday, December 1
 
During the closures, all traffic will be diverted via the A40, A46, A435 and A436.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard: The diversion route will be in operation during the overnight closuresThe diversion route will be in operation during the overnight closures (Image: National Highways)
 
The road will remain open during the day and access maintained at all times for residents and emergency services.
 
In November, National Highways will also need to close a small section of the A436 and the top of Leckhampton Hill to build a new site entrance, near the existing Air Balloon roundabout. 
 
The closure will be in place between 9pm on Friday, November 10 and 5am on Monday, November 13 and a traffic diversion will be in place. 

The A417 will run as normal and Crickley Hill Country Park and National Star College will also remain open for business as usual.

Steve Foxley, National Highways’ project director for the A417 Missing Link, said: “We need these overnight and weekend closures to progress important work before the next stage of this vital scheme.
 
“We acknowledge these closures will have an effect on journeys, and we are advising people to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys, and we thank people in advance for their patience.
 
“We’ve communicated the forthcoming closures and changes to local communities and businesses and once that work is completed, we will be moving to the next stage which will see us start building the new offline section of the A417, which means we will be building the road away from the existing route to minimise disruption.”
 
To find out more about the A417 Missing Link and for the latest scheme updates, visit tinyurl.com/47e76vpp