The UK’s A417 Missing Link scheme has achieved an impressive result, clocking up 2,000,000 hours without incident. Since work started on the A417 Missing Link scheme hit the ground in 2023, safety has been impressive with no RIDDOR reportable incidents.
Around 500 people/day are working on the £460 million transformation of the A417, an important route between Gloucester and Swindon that helps connect the Midlands/North to the South of England. This will provide an alternative to the M5/M4 route via Bristol.
Since work began, the improvements scheme has poured over 3,050m3 of concrete, moved 1.6 million m3 of earth, laid 18km of drainage pipes, fitted 1,682 tons of reinforced and structural steel, laid 10,000tonnes of road surfacing and progressed building six new bridges. Contractor Kier is carrying out the work for National Highways and is aiming to have the project open for traffic in Spring 2027.
“For our contractors, Kier, to record over two million working hours without a serious incident is a fantastic achievement. We are pleased that the stringent safety measures put in place on site are paying dividends, and I’m confident that it will continue to do so.”
RIDDOR, which stands for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013, is a UK law that requires employers and those in control of work premises to report certain workplace incidents HSE. This includes work-related deaths, injuries, specified occupational diseases, and dangerous occurrences (near misses).
Among measures taken by contractor Kier to ensure safety include a robust Occupational Health and Safety Management system, with the procedures strictly enforced on site; numerous industry-leading, innovative and award-winning processes, tools, and equipment have been introduced to ensure the health, safety and well-being of all team members; an open and honest culture, where everyone on the project has a voice meant issues and concerns could be dealt with quickly; and lessons learned for improvement.
The landscape-led A417 scheme is not only creating a vital transport link in the Cotswolds, but also incorporates world-class environmental practices that respect and enhance the surrounding landscape and habitats. These include 6.4km of new dual carriageway connecting the existing A417 Brockworth bypass with the existing A417 dual carriageway south of Cowley and a section to the west of the existing Air Balloon roundabout that will follow the existing A417 corridor. However, the section to the south and east of the Air Balloon roundabout will be offline, away from the existing road corridor. The link features a new junction at Shab Hill, providing a link from the A417 to the A436 towards Oxford and into Birdlip and a new junction near Cowley, to replace the existing Cowley Roundabout. The existing A417 between the Air Balloon roundabout and the Cowley Roundabout is being repurposed. Some lengths of this existing road will be converted into a route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, while retaining other sections to maintain local access for residents.
