Major transport schemes across Gloucestershire get huge funding boost
Junction 10 on the M5 is set to receive up to £10m for improvements.
Last updated 5th Mar 2025
Following a meeting by the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Joint Committee, Gloucester County Council is spending almost £14 million on local transport schemes- including improving Junction 10 on the M5, west of Cheltenham.
This would see a new 'all movements junction' which means traffic would be able to join or leave the motorway both southbound and northbound.
Currently, Junction 10 is a ‘limited movement junction’, which means it only provides access to the northbound M5, and from the southbound M5- which puts more pressure on already congested local roads nearby.
They have received an allocation of almost £18.5 million from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Infrastructure Fund; collected by taxing new developments across Cheltenham, Gloucester, and Tewkesbury.
At its meeting on Tuesday (4th March), the committee approved a total of 12 schemes to fund.
They say 'these proposals, assessed against strict framework, have demonstrated their value and importance to Gloucestershire.'
They add that they adopted 'a flexible approach to the allocation of CIL, ensuring that the most impactful projects receive the necessary funding.'
The Joint Committee has agreed to allocate 75% of the fund- amounting to £13,763,280- to the following key projects:
- M5 Junction 10 Scheme – up to £10,000,000
- M5 Junction 9 and A46 (Ashchurch) Transport Scheme – £1,000,000
- Mass Rapid Transport – £1,000,000
- Cheltenham Spa Railway Enhancements (Honeybourne Line cycle path extension) - £770,424
- Cheltenham Cycle Spine (Extension to Bishops Cleeve) - £592,856
- Gloucester to Haresfield Cycle Spine Design – £400,000
Councillor David Gray, Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning for Gloucestershire County Council, said: "This is a fantastic step forward for Gloucestershire.
"The funding allocated through the CIL Infrastructure Fund will significantly enhance our transport infrastructure, making it safer and more efficient for our residents.
"These projects will not only improve connectivity but also support sustainable development across the county.
"We are committed to continuing our collaborative efforts with Cheltenham Borough, Gloucester City, and Tewkesbury Borough Councils to ensure the successful delivery of these vital schemes."
The remaining 25% of the Infrastructure Fund- totalling £4,587,760- will be held for future projects of local significance.
The council say these schemes will be brought back to the CIL Joint Committee for consideration at a later date.
What is the CIL?
On the Government website, the CIL is defined as: "A charge which can be levied by local authorities on new development in their area.
"It is an important tool for local authorities to use to help them deliver the infrastructure needed to support development in their area."
So, any new development which creates net additional floor space of 100 square metres or more, or qualifies as a new 'dwelling', is potentially liable for the levy- which is then fed back into the council to fund projects to improve local infrastructure.