The topic of much community discussion for many months, the final phase of the Cheltenham leg of the Gloucestershire Cycle Spine is now underway.
The A435 Evesham Road from Cheltenham Racecourse roundabout through to the Hyde Lane junction at Bishop's Cleeve is closed in both directions until Monday 8 September 2025.
After that date, the road then partially opens, with one southbound lane only allowing Bishop's Cleeve area residents and other commuters access to Cheltenham.
The northbound direction, from Cheltenham Racecourse towards Bishop's Cleeve, remains closed until Friday 31 October 2025.
The full road closure is in part due to essential repair works needed on the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) bridge.
A recent inspection of the railway bridge found a number of defects, with repairs going towards reinforcements, reconstructing the carriageway and repositioning the road to include a new shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists.
Montel, the contractors delivering this phase of the project, has stated that traffic signal engineers will be monitoring junctions in Bishop's Cleeve, at Hyde Lane and Southam Lane, on day one of the closure and making 'real-time adjustments if needed'.
Diversion routes are signposted at both ends of the closed route.
Gloucestershire County Council says the scheme will bring 'substantial enhancements for cyclists and pedestrians along the A435 Evesham Road' and that 'it will offer unrestricted access to the 26-mile Gloucestershire Cycle Spine'.
The Cycle Spine stretches from Bishop's Cleeve, through Cheltenham and into Gloucester and will eventually extend to Stroud.
Bishop's Cleeve residents have expressed concerns about the impact of local traffic with the road closure, especially around New Road, Cleeve Hill Road and Old Road, with rush-hour and school-run commuters diverting their journeys where they can.
Cheryl Agg, councillor for Winchcombe and Woodmancote, commenting on Facebook said: 'We know many of you are concerned about the closure of the main road into Cheltenham. As the closure begins, a ‘settling in’ period will be observed to allow traffic patterns to adjust.'
'Monitoring will begin as soon as the closure is in place and if issues arise, traffic engineers will assess the situation and explore whether temporary lights or other interventions are appropriate.
'Any proposed changes will be carefully considered to avoid unintended knock-on effects across the network. We’ll continue to keep residents informed and work to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible.'
