APPROVAL has been given to improve the highways between Gloucester and Swindon.

The A417 Missing Link scheme aims to make journeys easier for millions of motorists and boost economies around the region.

The connection between two dual carriageway sections of the A417 at Brockworth and Cowley, along with links between the M4 and M5, will be revamped over the next four years.

On an average day, the road carries around 40,000 vehicles and congestion can be frequent and unpredictable, so some drivers divert onto smaller roads to avoid tailbacks.

This stretch of the A417 will soon be revamped to make it safer and reduce traffic as well as the knock-on effect of rat-running in nearby villages,

A National Highways spokesman said: "This landscape-led highways project will deliver a safe and resilient road while conserving and enhancing the special character of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty."

Transport Secretary Huw Merriman MP gave the scheme the green light earlier this week.

Preparatory work will begin in early 2023 and construction will start later that year. The improvements should be completed by 2027.

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson and South Swindon MP Sir Robert Buckland said in a joint statement: “We are both delighted with this decision, which will help to improve Swindon’s connectivity with the Midlands and boost the regional South West economy.”

A six-week judicial period will now be entered but work will continue to move the project forward during this time.

National Highways has assured MPs that they will continue to work closely with local communities as they move towards the start of construction, making sure everyone is kept informed and disruption is kept to a minimum.

The scheme will add 3.4 miles of new dual carriageway connecting the existing A417 Brockworth bypass with the existing A417 dual carriageway south of Cowley

There will be a new junction at Shab Hill, providing a link from the A417 to the A436 towards Oxford and into Birdlip, and a new junction would be included near Cowley to replace the existing Cowley roundabout

The existing A417 between the Air Balloon roundabout and the Cowley roundabout would be repurposed by converting some lengths of this existing road into a route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, while retaining other sections to maintain access for residents.

Find out more about the construction at https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/south-west/a417-missing-link/

Watch a fly-through video of the route below: