Skip to content

A435 Junction Improvement Scheme, Bishops Cleeve

Gloucestershire County Council completed the first phase of improvement works on the A435 at Bishop's Cleeve. The long term vision is to provide improved cycle facilities running between Bishop's Cleeve and the Cheltenham racecourse roundabout. In order to do that, some junctions on the route needed upgrading first. 

Works were carried out from January to May 2022, focusing on improving capacity on the approaches to the Hyde Lane/Southam Lane junction with the A435. This new layout provides a crossing facility for pedestrians and priority to cyclists at the traffic lights. 


A435 Junction Improvement scheme after completion. 

Why were we doing this work?

The A435 corridor between Bishop's Cleeve and Cheltenham suffered from peak time congestion at the Hyde Lane/Southam Lane signal controlled junction. The need for improvements is documented in the Local Plan and Connecting Places Strategy for the Central Severn Vale. This project was developed to improve capacity at this location and to carry out essential infrastructure improvements for the proposed A435 Bishop's Cleeve to Cheltenham cycleway project.

Key aspects of the work included the following:

  • Widening of the A435 to provide additional stacking lengths with two ahead movement lanes for southbound traffic approaching the junction.
  • Widening of the A435 southbound from the junction to provide additional carriageway merge length for the two lanes coming from the north.
  • Widening of Southam Lane approaching the A435 junction to provide additional stacking distances.

In addition the following works were also required to facilitate the proposed cycleway project:

  • Construction of a new section of footway from the A435 into Southam Lane and linking into the rugby sports grounds.
  • Traffic signals upgrade – including rearrangement of the splitter islands, new ducting, kerbing and signal controller apparatus. This is fundamental for the future key crossing of the proposed cycleway/pedestrian route on Southam Lane.
  • Advance cycle stop lines on Hyde Lane and Southam Lane approaches to the junction
  • Relocation of utility apparatus on Southam Lane
  • Relocation of street furniture that would otherwise provide obstruction to movement
  • Removal of unnecessary street furniture
  • Upgraded and relocated signage
  • Upgraded street lighting