Work to start on M5 junction

Work to improve Junction 12 of the M5 should finally start in late summer.

The South West Regional Development Agency have announced they are going to kick start the work by funding £500,000.

The project was supposed to be paid for by housing developments in the area, but that has been delayed by the economic situation.

Now the agency say they will loan the money so work can begin on putting in new traffic lights and widening the sliproads.

At the moment drivers are having to queue onto the motorway to get off at the junction.
 
Ian Piper, Director of Development and Regeneration at the South West RDA says:

“There has been considerable public and private investment in the regeneration of central Gloucester and it is important that the quality of links to the national motorway network keep pace, to ensure that Gloucester reaps the benefits of that investment.  Having traffic queuing back onto the motorway is dangerous and bad for business.

“Using the Regional Infrastructure Fund means the junction improvement work will start late summer instead of having to wait for funds from the developers, which can take years.

“What’s more, the Regional Infrastructure Fund investment is repaid and then recycled which means the money can be used again and again to bring forward other worthwhile schemes throughout the South West.”

It is hoped the work will finish early in 2011.