UK's largest wildlife bridge planned for Gloucestershire
Plans are in motion for the construction of the UK's largest wildlife bridge in Gloucestershire, as part of the ambitious A417 Missing Link project, which has a budget of several million pounds. National Highways has recently entered into a memorandum of understanding with Natural England to prioritize biodiversity and conservation in this initiative.
This impressive wildlife bridge will span 37 meters in width, featuring 27 meters of chalky grassland and hedgerows, making it a vital component of the extensive £460 million project. Once completed, the bridge, named the Gloucestershire Way, will hold the title of the largest of its kind in the UK, with the entire project expected to wrap up by spring 2027.
In addition to serving wildlife, the bridge will accommodate pedestrians, horse riders, and cyclists crossing the A417. It will also include a dedicated bat underpass and bird fencing to reduce the risk of animal-vehicle collisions along this busy roadway.
The A417 Missing Link project is arguably one of the most significant undertakings in the county in recent years, aiming to plant over 100,000 trees and create eight hectares of grassland. The initiative, which commenced in 2023, focuses on a three-mile stretch of single-lane carriageway between the Brockworth bypass and Cowley Roundabout.
So far, notable progress includes the demolition of the historic Air Balloon pub to enhance safety in this previously contentious area of Gloucestershire's road network. The project has taken wildlife habitats into account, with a World War II bunker being repurposed as a bat habitat and the careful relocation of local reptiles, such as baby common lizards, slow worms, and Roman snails, away from construction zones. A dedicated team of ecologists is on-site full-time to ensure that wildlife protection measures are effectively implemented.
3 January 2025
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