Work to begin on final phase of cycleway

Construction work is beginning on the final stage of a cycleway which will eventually form part of a 26-mile route.

The A435 cycleway route scheme to connect Bishop's Cleeve in Gloucestershire with Cheltenham is being built to improve connections between the two and provide full access to the Gloucestershire Cycle Spine.

The final phase, beginning on 19 May, will include essential repairs to the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) bridge, with a full road closure between 2 June and 8 September.

A northbound closure only will be in place from 8 September until 31 October, with work due to finish completely by the end of January 2026.

The Gloucestershire Cycle Spine links Bishop's Cleeve and Cheltenham with Gloucester and, eventually, Stroud.

The work on the GWSR bridge, which was found to have a number of defects in a recent inspection, will include strengthening it, reconstructing the carriageway, and repositioning the road to incorporate a new shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists.

Gloucestershire County Council said it hopes coordinating the repair of the bridge with two phases of the cycleway construction during the road closure will mean disruption is minimised for residents and the safety of those working.

Section 1 of the cycle scheme, between the Honeybourne Line and Cheltenham Racecourse roundabout, was completed in late 2024.

The first phase of section two, between the GWSR Bridge and the GE roundabout in Bishop's Cleeve, began in early January and is expected to finish in the autumn.

During the full road closure and northbound closure periods, diversion routes will be signposted.

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