BUILDING a crawler lane on the A417 in a bid to relieve congestion would cost in the region of £30 million, it is thought.
The Echo understands the cost of installing an additional lane at Nettleton Bottom has been discussed between Gloucestershire County Council and the Highways Agency.
It is likely to cost between £20 million to £30 million and would enable faster vehicles to overtake slow-moving HGVs in the dip, which is a black spot for traffic collisions.
It is the latest idea tabled to improve congestion at the site, which is notorious for long traffic queues and poor air quality caused by the build-up of exhaust fumes.
Earlier this year, plans to introduce a no right turn at the Air Balloon roundabout were scrapped after residents mounted fierce opposition, claiming it would put undue pressure on surrounding routes.
Cotswold district councillor Paul Hodgkinson, (LD, Churn Valley), claimed greater consultation with people living in the area was needed before any plans for a crawler lane were progressed.
Debacle
He added: "Lessons should have been learnt from the debacle over plans to introduce a no right turn at the Air Balloon roundabout.
"It is crucial to get residents views on board and to engage properly with the community.
"I want to see full and real dialogue with residents before any other proposals are put on the table." The crawler lane would be a cheaper alternative to the Highways Agency's preferred solution of the Brown Route – a £255 million project to build a new stretch of dual carriageway from Cowley roundabout to Brockworth, bypassing the Air Balloon roundabout.
Cheltenham borough councillor Andrew Chard (C, Leckhampton) said the Plan B could improve things.
He said: "Any improvement there would be a good thing.
"I would obviously want the full fix if possible.
"It is the missing link, so it needs linking. Anything would be a help because you can get stuck there."
For years, residents have been calling for improvements to the junction, which is part of the "missing link" – a single stretch of carriageway on the A417/A419 route which links the M4 and M5.
Suggested solutions have included a multi-million tunnel project, but that was abandoned after being deemed prohibitively expensive.
Following the scrapping of the roundabout scheme in February, the county council has vowed to lobby the Highways Agency for a credible long-term solution.