Traffic movements at junction to be reinstated after air quality improvements see pollution drop below legal limits

A letter from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to the council acknowledged the improvement in local air quality and confirmed that the junction is no longer required to operate under the Ministerial Direction in place.

The Ministerial Direction was issued after a national assessment identified the A4174 Ring Road at Hambrook as a location requiring action to reduce roadside nitrogen dioxide levels.

Following this, South Gloucestershire implemented several changes in 2019 including:

• Removing the right turn from the westbound A4174 onto the B4058
• Removing the right turn from the B4058 (Frenchay) onto the A4174
• Removing the straight ahead movement when leaving Frenchay on the B4058

The council announced earlier this month (8 April): “With two years of compliant data now verified by the Government, the council will move to reinstate normal traffic movements at the junction and coordinate this with resurfacing work due to take place on the A4174 in the coming weeks.”

Work to reopen the junction is expected to be completed by 27 April.

The council said it will continue to “closely monitor” nitrogen dioxide levels across the area as part of its Local Air Quality Management responsibilities.

South Gloucestershire Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Local Place, Cllr Sean Rhodes, said: “I am delighted that air quality has continued to improve at Hambrook Junction and that we have now been officially released from the Ministerial Direction. We know how significant this junction is for road users, residents and local communities, and we have listened carefully to the concerns raised about the measures.

“I recognise they have caused inconvenience and we have worked hard behind the scenes to secure clear direction from the Government on this matter. Now that the Ministerial Direction has been lifted, we can remove the measures while continuing to closely monitor air quality so we can strike the right balance between traffic flow and environmental considerations.”

Lottie Winson