Britain’s ‘most pointless highway’ is an costly ‘freeway to nowhere’

A seemingly pointless road dubbed the UK’s ‘most expensive dead end’ is finally getting closer to being finished.

The controversial road off the M49 was supposed to join the motorway to a distribution park which plays host to the likes of Amazon, Tesco, Lidl, Next, DHL and The Range. Despite it reportedly having been constructed in 2019 it still doesn’t connect to the motorway, no traffic is using it, and ultimately it comes to a dead end. Meanwhile, lorries that wish to access the park still have to drive through villages in the surrounding area.

This is because conditions set out by South Gloucestershire Council have meant that the completion of the link to the road has been blocked. In order for the link road to be built, the conditions first need to be met.

There had been nine in total and only now, as of November 1, has the council discharged some of these conditions – meaning they are satisfied with the situation across most fronts with only a few issues, or conditions, still outstanding.

Among the conditions handed down by the council are requests to submit a work schedule and for a construction environmental management plan to be approved.

Meanwhile, landscaping processes for the construction of the link have been approved by the council.

The council has also given the green light to Health and safety risk assessments including the construction traffic management plan.

Among the remaining issues are matters relating to a cycle path currently in the area.

In November of last year, there had been hopes that the junction could be completed within 12 months.

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