A417 closes at Air Balloon junction - full diversion details and timings

The A417 is closed in both directions between the A429 Burford Road and the Air Balloon roundabout this weekend. The closure commenced at 11pm last night (Friday, April 24) and will run until 6am on Monday (April 27) as part of the major Missing Link project being carried out by National Highways. Traffic-monitoring service Inrix reports: "A417 Northbound closed, delays expected due to weekend roadworks until the early hours of Monday morning from A429 Burford Road (Cirencester) to A436 (Air Balloon Roundabout, Birdlip)." There will also be weeknight closures on the A417, from 9pm until 6am, throughout next week (Monday, April 27 until Saturday, May 2, night time only). These night closures will then resume from 9pm on Tuesday, May 5 until 6am the following Saturday, May 9. More night closures are scheduled for Monday, May 11 until to 6am on Saturday, May 16, then again from Wednesday, May 27, to 6am on Friday, May 29. The A417 will be closed in both directions on these dates overnight between the A46 Brockworth junction and the Air Balloon roundabout. The disruption is all to create a 'landscape-led highways scheme' which National Highways says will "deliver a safe and resilient free-flowing road while conserving and enhancing the special character of the Cotswolds National Landscape" and "improve the connection between two dual carriageway sections of the A417 at Brockworth and Cowley". The scheme began in early 2023 and is due to end in 2027, costing between £250 to £500 million. National Highways says that the closures are required in order to carry out "earthworks, surfacing, drainage works and central barrier construction so that traffic can be moved onto the new A417". Works are expected to generate noise, which will be monitored each night. National Highways will maintain access for emergency services during the closures and fully signposted diversion routes will be in place during the closure. The diversion routes are listed below, according to National Highways - Air Balloon to Burford Road northbound diversion: turn right onto the A429 Burford Road, turn left and follow the A429 towards Stow-on-the-Wold, turn left and follow the A40 towards Cheltenham, turn left and follow the A436 towards Gloucester, head over the roundabout towards Gloucester Air Balloon to Burford Road southbound diversion: follow A436 towards Stow-on-the-Wold, turn left at the Severn Springs roundabout, then turn right onto the A436 Oxford Road, turn right towards Oxford and follow the A40, turn right towards Cirencester onto the A429 Brockworth junction to Air Balloon roundabout southbound diversion: turn left towards Cheltenham onto the A46 Shurdington Road, turn right towards Oxford onto the A40 Thirlestaine Road, turn right towards Cirencester onto London Road, continue towards Cirencester on the A435, turn right on the Seven Springs roundabout onto the A436 and continue towards the Air Balloon Roundabout Air Balloon roundabout to Brockworth junction northbound diversion: turn right at the Air Balloon Roundabout, follow the A436 towards Seven Springs, from Seven Springs roundabout, follow Cirencester road towards Cheltenham, continue on the A435 and turn left towards Cheltenham onto the A40, turn left onto the A40 Old Bath Road, follow the road to the right and remain on the A40, turn left onto the A46 Shurdington Road, take the third turning at Brockworth junction to travel towards Gloucester You can find out more information, view diversion route maps and check any changes to closures and diversions via the National Highways website here . Read more from Gloucestershire Live about the missing link scheme here