Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the timetable for the major improvement of the A417/A436 junction at the Air Balloon roundabout in Gloucestershire; and what immediate steps are planned to alleviate the traffic congestion in that area.

The Highways Agency is preparing a Route Strategy for the Midlands to Wales and Gloucestershire. This includes the A417/A436 junction at the Air Balloon roundabout, which itself is part of the section of the A417 known as the ‘Missing Link’ and identified as a key issue on this route. The next stage will be to assess options, including major improvements, and to produce indicative business cases as the basis upon which to prioritise investment from 2015. Outcomes from the Route Strategies are expected to be announced in spring 2015. There are no other immediate plans to undertake any works on this route before the Route Strategy is concluded.