M5 J10's northbound entry and southbound exit slips close from early 2027 for about two years. The signed diversions, and five drop-in dates in November.
The two slip roads at M5 Junction 10 will close from early 2027 and stay shut for around two years. That means no joining the M5 northbound and no leaving it southbound at the junction nearest west Cheltenham.
Gloucestershire County Council published the plan on its slip road closures page this week. National Highways posted the same news on its scheme page on 22 October. Both say the exact length “remains under review”.
The M5 itself stays open. Withybridge Lane, the back road from the A4019 at Withy Bridge towards Staverton, will also close “during some of this period”.
Why one long closure
Junction 10 is the half-junction on the A4019 Tewkesbury Road, about three miles north west of the town centre. Today you can only join northbound and leave southbound. The £372 million scheme replaces the two existing slips with four new ones, so traffic can join and leave in every direction for the first time.
The council says the closures let “some of the most complex elements of the project” be built safely. It looked at other traffic management options and chose “a single extended closure” over opening and shutting the slips at different stages. Its FAQs say keeping them open would mean repeated closures, which it believes carries safety risks for drivers.
The diversions
The county has published three signed diversion maps:
| What closes | Signed diversion |
|---|---|
| Northbound entry slip (joining the M5 towards Birmingham) | A4019 west to Coombe Hill, A38 north, A438 into Tewkesbury, rejoin at Junction 9 |
| Southbound exit slip (leaving the M5 from the north) | Stay on to Junction 11, A40 east, A4013 Princess Elizabeth Way, A4019 |
| Withybridge Lane | Either the A4019 through Uckington and the B4634, or west through Boddington and Staverton |
The council says any local road closures during the work will be planned so they do not touch the diversion routes. More detail on signing is promised “ahead of the closures”.
When it finishes
The council’s FAQs set out the timetable:
- preparation works (archaeology, ecology, utility diversions, site compound) began in October 2025
- vegetation clearance is due to start in October 2026
- the main works, including the slip road closures and narrow lanes on the M5, start in early 2027
- the physical works should be complete in spring 2029
- snagging and handover run to spring 2031
Most work will be done between 07:00 and 19:00, Monday to Saturday, the council says.
The scheme also widens the A4019 to a dual carriageway between Withybridge Lane and Gallagher Retail Park. A new 1.4km link road will join the B4634 to the A4019. The council says the whole package supports more than 20,000 new homes and the Golden Valley development.
Drop-in sessions in November
The project team will run five drop-in sessions. No booking is needed:
| Venue | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| West Cheltenham Community Fire Station, Tewkesbury Road, Uckington | Wednesday 4 November | 10am to 3pm |
| West Cheltenham Community Fire Station | Thursday 5 November | 3pm to 8pm |
| Hesters Way Community Resource Centre | Tuesday 17 November | 10am to 2pm |
| Watson Hall, Tewkesbury (about nine miles north) | Wednesday 18 November | 3pm to 7pm |
| Stoke Orchard Community Centre (about five miles north west) | Thursday 26 November | 2pm to 7pm |
The council says you can see the latest plans, meet the team, and ask about the construction programme and diversions.
What it means for you
- Nothing changes yet. Separate overnight closures of the same two slips are already allowed, 20:00 to 06:00, until 10 March 2027. We list each one on our Cheltenham roadworks page as National Highways books it.
- If you join the M5 northbound at Junction 10, plan for Junction 11 or the signed A38 route from early 2027.
- If you come home southbound and leave at Junction 10, you will need Junction 11 and the A40 instead.
- The exact start date is not set. The council has said only “early 2027”. We will add it here when it is published.
- Questions? Go to a drop-in, or sign up to the scheme’s email bulletins from the council’s scheme page.
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