A40 Over Bridge refurbishment

How we'll work

To work safely we'll need a combination of:

• lane closures
• full closures
• reducing traffic to one lane in each direction with a contraflow and 30mph speed limit in place

We've timed our work to avoid:

• Cheltenham Festival
• exam periods for university students in the area

We're expecting this work to cause significant delays in the area and advise drivers to plan their journeys in advance.

Drivers are advised to use alternative routes where possible, especially during peak travel times.

Planned closures

8 June 2026 - March 2027

The slip road which links the A417 Over Causeway to the A40 westbound will be closed 24/7 for the duration of the scheme.

Drivers from the A417 travelling onto the A40 westbound will need to join by the roundabout.

29 June - July 2026

One lane will be closed on the A40 Over Bridge in each direction between Over roundabout and Over Farm.

July - October 2026

The A40 eastbound carriageway will be closed between Over Farm and over roundabout.

• drivers travelling eastbound will travel on the westbound side of the bridge via a contraflow
• one lane of traffic will be running in each direction with a 30mph speed limit

October 2026 - January 2027

The A40 westbound carriageway will be closed between Over roundabout and Over Farm.

• drivers travelling westbound will travel on the eastbound side of the bridge via a contraflow
• one lane of traffic will be running in each direction with a 30mph speed limit

January - February 2027

One lane will be closed on the A40 Over Bridge in each direction between Over roundabout and Over Farm.

February - March 2027

Full closures of the A40 Over Bridge will be required to complete the works.

We'll share exact dates closer the time.

Please remember that closures can change at short notice. You can check the latest information on our daily closures page or find live travel information on our Traffic England website. Our travel alerts give details of live incidents on our network.

Diversions

Drivers travelling westbound will not be able to turn right into Over Farm, Toby Carvery or Horseshoe Drive and will have to divert to the Highnam roundabout to turn around. 

Whilst disruptive, the contraflow allows us to complete this complex work while maintaining traffic flow and keeping workers safe and help us stay on track to meet our project completion date in spring 2027.

Background

Over Bridge carries the A40 over the River Severn at Over in Gloucester. The dual carriageway is a key part of the road network with 5,000 vehicles an hour crossing the bridge at peak times. It connects Gloucester, Cheltenham and Ross on Wye and the A40 connects England and Wales.

This work will extend the life of the bridge and reduce the risk of unplanned closures for emergency maintenance work in the future. The scheme will deliver a more resilient, safer and more reliable route for local communities, businesses and freight.

Work will include:

• repairs to concrete
• renewing the waterproofing
• improving drainage 
• resurfacing 
• new bridge joints
• upgraded street lighting
• new barriers
• new signage