The Elmbridge Transport Scheme

The Elmbridge Court roundabout between Cheltenham and Gloucester is already one of the busiest traffic junctions in the county. The purpose of the proposed scheme is to tackle this congestion ‘hot spot’ on the A40 and to improve public transport between Cheltenham, Churchdown and Gloucester.

The scheme would help achieve these aims in three ways:

  • A 1,000 space park and ride site next to the Elmbridge Court Business Park, with a high frequency bus service serving Gloucester city centre, and linking in with Cheltenham town centre and Arle Court park and ride;
  • A series of improvements to Elmbridge Court roundabout to improve its capacity;
  • Bus priority measures on the approach to Arle Court roundabout in Cheltenham.

The plans attached to this webpage show the general arrangement for the scheme, as well as 3D visualisations that have been created to show what the scheme might look like once completed.

Following on from the public consultation in early 2013, Gloucestershire County Council have been developing the scheme proposals, completing an Environmental Impact Assessment and associated application documents, whilst continuing to work with various interested parties. We have now submitted the planning application for the scheme under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), and will shortly be publicising the application and carrying out further necessary consultation.

A change in the law in July 2013 meant that the scheme is no longer classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. Gloucestershire County Council will now be the planning authority making the decision on the application. All the planning application documents are now available via our planning website, and hard copies will be available to view at Shire Hall Gloucester, Longlevens Library and Churchdown Library. Hard copies will be available on request via the project email address, elmbridgetransport@gloucestershire.gov.uk, but there will be a charge made for these.

The current planned scheme programme is as follows:

  • Decision by planning authority – Summer 2014
  • Design, procurement and funding approval – Summer 2014 – Spring 2015
  • Construction work commences – Summer 2015
  • Scheme complete and open to the public – Autumn 2016