The A435 at Charlton Hill to the south of Cheltenham runs north to south along the western slope of the Lilley Brook Valley and has been subject to ongoing cracking and movement of the road surface for many years. The road has been intermittently patched and resurfaced, and the southbound crawler lane has been partially closed.
We have been monitoring this site since 2014 and the findings suggest that there are four separate landslips along the section between Charlton Kings and the Seven Springs roundabout, all needing different approaches to resolve the problem.
What are we doing?
Having examined the options available, the proposal is to undertake slope stabilisation at the areas experiencing the most severe movement and where we have a good understanding of the type and depth of landslip.
The design to stabilise the landslip includes a sheet pile wall approximately 441m long and 12m deep. It is not currently possible to fix the entire length of road affected due to funding constraints. We will continue to monitor for further ground movements and will finalise the repairs needed on the rest of the road when funding becomes available.
The road will be resurfaced as part of the project from Seven Springs roundabout to Lilley Brook Golf Course.
The scope for the work at this location has also been reviewed and a larger package of improvements is now being proposed:
- Slope stabilisation
- Drainage improvements
- Footway improvements
- Carriageway resurfacing
- Partial use of the crawler lane to provide a safe zone for non-motorised users travelling uphill
We aim to provide the full package of improvements and take advantage of the necessary road closure by carrying out all the work in one visit to help minimise disruption to the public as well as give best value for money.
We are currently finalising detailed design and will be looking to procure the construction contract over winter 2022.
Construction was originally scheduled to start in the summer of 2021 however, to allow time to identify further funding and plan for the full package of improvements, it was necessary to postpone the work until 2023. Construction begins on Monday 20 March, after the Cheltenham Festival has finished to minimise any disruption, and is due to be completed by the end of September. Due to the construction activities required and for the safety of road users and construction staff, it will be necessary to close the road for the duration of the works to all users, including cyclists and pedestrians. The road closures and diversion routes will be posted on this web page in advance.
Why?
We are responsible for maintaining roads across the county. This is one of several sites identified for repair to ensure the safety of road users and to reduce future maintenance costs.
To report a problem on your highways please use our Report It form.
Further information
A public drop-in event was held at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Cirencester Road, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, GL53 8EA, on Thursday 2 March from 10am to 6pm, for residents and businesses to meet the contractors Montel, as well as the project team, and ask any questions they have.
If you have any further questions, please contact us by emailing highways@gloucestershire.gov.uk
Bus information
Stagecoach has provided the following information on the diversionary route for Service 51:
Service 51 linking Cheltenham, Cirencester and Swindon will take a diversionary route using the A40 (London Road) to Shipton Oliffe turn, then the A436 re-joining the normal route at Seven Springs Roundabout.
A revised timetable will be introduced from 19 March. College Service C51 also uses the same diversion.
For more information see https://www.stagecoachbus.com/regional-service-updates/west
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