'Farce' as unused motorway junction needs repairs

A motorway junction near Bristol which has not been used since it was built six years ago now needs repairs, prompting a local MP to call the situation "farcical".

At a cost of £40m and built by National Highways in 2020, the roundabout junction above the M49, which would link an industrial estate to the motorway, has remained unused while its connecting link road, built by South Gloucestershire Council (SGC), is completed.

The road was expected to open to traffic in early 2027 but now faces further delays due to defects identified at the junction.

National Highways said it remained committed to opening the junction. MP Claire Young said the organisation had known about the news "for months".

South Gloucestershire Council described the news as "incredibly frustrating".

National Highways also said the defects found were being monitored and assessed, and would need to be fixed before the junction could be connected to local roads for safety reasons.

The new junction would be the only one on the short M49 route, which links the M5 at Avonmouth with the Prince of Wales Bridge.

South Gloucestershire Council was granted planning permission to build the 160m (525ft) link road to the junction in 2023 but faced delays due to issues such as land ownership.

The use of compulsory purchase orders to secure the necessary land between the M49 junction and Goldcrest Way was later granted.

A South Gloucestershire Council spokesperson said despite the setbacks, it remained on track to complete the construction of the link road by the end of the year.

"However, the opening of the junction once the link road is complete is solely a matter for National Highways," they said.

"Until now, the plan had been to make that connection and open the junction to traffic in early 2027," they added.

The spokesperson said National Highways was unable to confirm a programme or timeline for resolving the issues identified and did not expect to provide a further update until early autumn.

"This uncertainty is deeply concerning for residents in nearby communities, who are affected by significant numbers of large vehicles using local roads," they added.

The MP for Thornbury and Yate, Claire Young, criticised National Highways, claiming it had known about the need for repairs on the junction "for months".

"It is farcical that National Highways has waited until now to tell us there is a problem with the M49 junction they built," she said.

She also said the government agency had been unable to tell her what the problems were and her thoughts were with the long-suffering local residents.

A National Highways spokesperson added: "We realise how frustrating this news will be to communities and businesses and we are working with the council and other partners on next steps."

Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.