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M5 reopens after two bridges demolished

Kirsten RobertsonWest of England
BBC An aerial image of diggers knocking down a bridge with a three-lane road beneath them.BBC
Drone shots on Saturday showed the progress made by National Highways

Work to remove two crumbling footbridges over the M5 has been completed earlier than expected.

The motorway began to be reopened at 20:30 BST on Sunday after it had been closed in both directions between junctions 11 (Cheltenham) and 12 (Gloucester) since Friday. It was not originally due to reopen until 06:00 BST on Monday.

Terry Robinson, from National Highways, said: "Our teams have worked extremely hard over the weekend and it's pleasing to be able to open well ahead of the scheduled completion time."

Queues built up around the edge of Gloucester over the weekend as thousands of vehicles had to be diverted from the M5 between the two junctions to allow the footbridges to be removed.

A line of traffic running past several houses
Traffic had built up in Gloucester as vehicles were diverted off the M5

A "lot of traffic" had to be diverted away from the M5 and onto the A38, A417 and A40.

Paula Goddard, travelling from Telford to Devon, was in a queue of traffic near junction 11a of the M5.

"We can't get back on the M5 southbound...it's a nightmare," she told the BBC. "I am getting stressed."

Bruce Jackson told the BBC his motorbike journey had been "terrible" and the diversions "didn't make sense". He was travelling from Sheffield to Plymouth with his wife.

A woman in a grey sweatshirt looks at the camera
Paula was among the people stuck in lines of traffic
A man on a motorbike
Bruce had also seen his journey delayed by the diversions

"We appreciate the closure will have affected motorists' journeys in and around Gloucester over the weekend, and we thank people for their patience while we carried out this essential safety work," Robinson said.

The two footbridges - called Uphill Court and Grove Court - have been in place for 60 years and are being demolished because they are prone to freeze-thawing during the winter.

This has caused cracked edges and led to fears that concrete could drop off and onto passing vehicles below.

"It will not last another winter," Robinson said.

A pavement with a large crack in it.
The bridges have cracks caused by freeze-thawing in winter

Crash mats were placed on the motorway while the work was happening to catch any falling debris and stop it from damaging the road.

The demolition of the bridges has been coordinated between National Highways and Gloucestershire County Council.

Both bridges are due to be replaced by 2029.

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