Traffic & Access
Thousands of additional journeys on an already pressured network.
The development would add thousands of journeys to an already pressured road network. The issue is not only where vehicles enter the site, but where those journeys go and what happens when the wider network is congested.
Bradley Stoke
Access plans increase traffic through Bradley Stoke, including Bowsland Way and Ellicks Close, with onward links to the A38, M4 and M5. An active-travel bridge over the M4 is also proposed.
The proposal depends on residents walking, cycling or using public transport. The developer proposes £4 million for public transport, but the brief says details and long-term funding remain unclear.
A38, M5 and rural roads
The A38 and M5 Junction 16 already experience heavy congestion, particularly at peak times. Hortham Lane is a narrow rural route with pinch points, limited passing opportunities, flooding and regular use by people walking, cycling and riding. Congestion on strategic roads could displace traffic onto Hortham Lane, Trench Lane and other rural roads.
Hortham Lane / A38 junction
Residents are concerned that additional traffic could mean longer queues, road-safety problems and additional air pollution close to homes.
Relevant planning policy
NPPF August 2026 — TR3 and TR6
Major development should support sustainable travel, safe access and genuine alternatives to private-car use, with transport assessments considering safety, network capacity, cumulative effects and reasonable future scenarios.
South Gloucestershire Core Strategy — CS7 and CS8
Appropriate transport infrastructure and improved accessibility.
Policies, Sites and Places Plan — PSP10 and PSP11
Active travel and development-related transport impacts.
Questions for the Council
- Has the applicant shown that traffic from up to 1,900 homes can be managed without unacceptable congestion through Bradley Stoke or displacement onto surrounding rural roads?
- What happens if the predicted shift to walking, cycling and public transport does not occur?
- Are proposed road and bridge improvements technically approved, funded and secured?
- Have cumulative impacts with other local developments been assessed?