Gloucester to Worcester Parkway Closed this Weekend - As Is the M5 Passing Gloucester!

[Envoy]

The M5 section east of Gloucester is closed this weekend (17 & 18 October 2026) meaning traffic is diverting to other routes. At the same time, Network Rail Engineering work means that the railway between Gloucester & Worcestershire Parkway is also closed with buses being used to transport train passengers. Looks like TFW are using old 2 coach 153 sprinters on the route between Gloucester & Cardiff and no Cross Country trains on the line via Chepstow.

You really could not make it up: National Highways England and Network Rail not talking with each other.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The M5 section east of Gloucester is closed this weekend (17 & 18 October 2026) meaning traffic is diverting to other routes. At the same time, Network Rail Engineering work means that the railway between Gloucester & Worcestershire Parkway is also closed with buses being used to transport train passengers. Looks like TFW are using old 2 coach 153 sprinters on the route between Gloucester & Cardiff and no Cross Country trains on the line via Chepstow.
You really could not make it up: National Highways England and Network Rail not talking with each other.

I remember a time under BR when a closure at Gloucester had Bristol-Birmingham trains diverted via the Severn Tunnel, Hereford and Great Malvern to Worcester (including the then mail/sleeper Plymouth-Scotland).

 

[Harpo]

I remember a time under BR when a closure at Gloucester had Bristol-Birmingham trains diverted via the Severn Tunnel, Hereford and Great Malvern to Worcester (including the then mail/sleeper Plymouth-Scotland).

In later years Oxford/Banbury was the diversion for the Cheltenham route and in the mid 80s that even extended to Oxford - Bletchley.

 

[popeter45]

travelling to Cheltenham today, weirdly seems they are not running any of the Pad-chelt trains to Gloucester (for people to take the 94 bus to Cheltenham), making the least changes route via Worcester annoyingly

 

[mikeb42]

You really could not make it up: National Highways England and Network Rail not talking with each other.

They have form for it in this locale.

Just a year or so back there was a full weekend closure of the M4 in both directions between Bristol and Bath which caused absolute gridlock. NR had scheduled a simultaneous full weekend closure of at least the line Between Bristol Parkway and Swindon and, as I recall it, Bristol Parkway itself and all routes through it.

It would be nice to be able to sincerely say it is beyond belief, but bitter experience dictates otherwise.

These large operations must be planned months or years in advance. How it's possible that major public bodies in receipt of enormous amounts of public money don't see fit to coordinate such things in the interests of their paymasters (i.e. us) it's hard to know.

Given the cavalier way that the Highways Agency externalises costs onto us (again) for its own convenience via the increasingly ridiculous way it carries out works on the trunk road network, my money is on them being even more likely than NR to be the culprit in both cases.

 

[ValleyLines142]

travelling to Cheltenham today, weirdly seems they are not running any of the Pad-chelt trains to Gloucester (for people to take the 94 bus to Cheltenham), making the least changes route via Worcester annoyingly

Paddington to Cheltenham direct services do not operate on a Sunday with the exception of the 1733 Paddington to Cheltenham, at all other hours on a Sunday its a shuttle service to/from Swindon only.

 

[The Planner]

They have form for it in this locale.

Just a year or so back there was a full weekend closure of the M4 in both directions between Bristol and Bath which caused absolute gridlock. NR had scheduled a simultaneous full weekend closure of at least the line Between Bristol Parkway and Swindon and, as I recall it, Bristol Parkway itself and all routes through it.

It would be nice to be able to sincerely say it is beyond belief, but bitter experience dictates otherwise.

These large operations must be planned months or years in advance. How it's possible that major public bodies in receipt of enormous amounts of public money don't see fit to coordinate such things in the interests of their paymasters (i.e. us) it's hard to know.

Given the cavalier way that the Highways Agency externalises costs onto us (again) for its own convenience via the increasingly ridiculous way it carries out works on the trunk road network, my money is on them being even more likely than NR to be the culprit in both cases.

Depends how far out National Highways plan. NR are already well into 2028 planning.

 

[The exile]

They have form for it in this locale.

Just a year or so back there was a full weekend closure of the M4 in both directions between Bristol and Bath which caused absolute gridlock. NR had scheduled a simultaneous full weekend closure of at least the line Between Bristol Parkway and Swindon and, as I recall it, Bristol Parkway itself and all routes through it.

It would be nice to be able to sincerely say it is beyond belief, but bitter experience dictates otherwise.

These large operations must be planned months or years in advance. How it's possible that major public bodies in receipt of enormous amounts of public money don't see fit to coordinate such things in the interests of their paymasters (i.e. us) it's hard to know.

Given the cavalier way that the Highways Agency externalises costs onto us (again) for its own convenience via the increasingly ridiculous way it carries out works on the trunk road network, my money is on them being even more likely than NR to be the culprit in both cases.

To be fair, the bridge removals that have closed the M5 probably just about make it into the “emergency” category. Originally scheduled for 2029, there was serious concern about what frost damage in the coming winter might do to them. Next two weeks are half term and after that we’re already potentially into the frost period.

 

[NickBucks]

Top marks to National Highways who completed the job on the M5 early and got the road opened by late Sunday evening.

National Highways have previous in this respect. The work they are doing on the A417 reconstruction in the same area is an example of excellent project management.

Can the same be said of Network Rail ?

 

[The exile]

Top marks to National Highways who completed the job on the M5 early and got the road opened by late Sunday evening.National Highways have previous in this respect.The work they are doing on the A417 reconstruction in the same area is an example of excellent project management.Can the same be said of Network Rail ?

Probably - given the fact that we tend not to notice the projects completed on time and with no fuss. One could of course raise questions about asset management, both in respect of these bridges and the A432 - but that’s a problem with NR as well.

 

[edwin_m]

I assume this is the couple of motorway overbridges where bits of the edge of the deck below the parapet fence had clearly broken off and potentially more was at risk of falling onto the motorway traffic.

If highway work finishes early it's easy enough to re-open the road before the published time, and given that the published time will include some contingency then early reopening is quite likely. A railway may reopen early for similar reasons but it's less likely that passengers will see any benefit, because of the complications of re-routeing trains at short notice.

 

[Horizon22]

Just out of interest, how often do the two routinely talk with regards to engineering works / event planning etc. I wouldn't be surprised if it was less than people think.

 

[Bald Rick]

Just out of interest, how often do the two routinely talk with regards to engineering works / event planning etc. I wouldn't be surprised if it was less than people think.

At local level, all the time.

 

[edwin_m]

On the weekend of 31st October there are no trains between Parkway and Swindon or Gloucester. The connection from the M4 westbound to the M5 northbound remains closed, forcing traffic to U-turn at Aztec West, which when I passed by last Monday was completely jamming up the area.

 

[Class 170101]

Top marks to National Highways who completed the job on the M5 early and got the road opened by late Sunday evening.

National Highways have previous in this respect. The work they are doing on the A417 reconstruction in the same area is an example of excellent project management.

Can the same be said of Network Rail ?

Not quite so easy to operate over a railway opened earlier than expected. Trains will be positioned in such a way that diagrams operate from where they ended Saturday night and need to be for the start of Monday. Fleet will already be planning on this basis for toilet tanking, sanding and routine maintenance. Train crew will already have their diagrams knowing what work they will be doing and at what times they would be doing it. Would you fancy a change half way through your shift that says oh your finish time of 21:00 is now 23:59 with a trip to Birmingham and back added on, assuming you even signed the road.

 

[birchesgreen]

You really could not make it up: National Highways England and Network Rail not talking with each other.

Nobody talks to anyone in this country. Last year one of the local roads near me was finally re-laid, its been at least 26 years since it was done and probably longer. So, lovely fresh tarmac.

The very next week the water company dug a trench across the road to do some works. Heh.

 

[A S Leib]

Is there any engineering work which would require the closure of both, similar to the WCML / M6 closure in January?

 

[edwin_m]

Is there any engineering work which would require the closure of both, similar to the WCML / M6 closure in January?

The Birmingham-Bristol line crosses over or under the M5 several times, and all those bridges will date from the construction of the M5 which was roughly the same time as the M6 around Penrith. So these will also need replacing at some point, though their lifetime will depend on the materials and construction techniques used.

 

[bluenoxid]

Nobody talks to anyone in this country. Last year one of the local roads near me was finally re-laid, its been at least 26 years since it was done and probably longer. So, lovely fresh tarmac.

The very next week the water company dug a trench across the road to do some works. Heh

It is bonkers. I think the reason is the following.

Local Authority tarmacs road, utility company digs it up, any issues with the tarmac work done by the utility company is the utility company’s work.

If they approach it differently, utility company digs up road, Local Authority tarmacs it, who is responsible when the road starts to sink because the utility company’s work fails.

Plus the utilities seem to do a great job of hitting each others equipment or it might just be around where I live.

 

[Envoy]

The Birmingham-Bristol line crosses over or under the M5 several times, and all those bridges will date from the construction of the M5 which was roughly the same time as the M6 around Penrith. So these will also need replacing at some point, though their lifetime will depend on the materials and construction techniques used.

I wonder if when such bridges are replaced over train lines, that they allow increased height to allow for future electrification? Of course, the motorway/road either side would also have to be built up from the present level.

They did not have the sense to build the A483 expressway bridge over the railway north of Wrexham so that twin tracks could be maintained. (One track had been ripped up by British Railways so the new road builders only allowed for one track to be bridged. Then, realising that a massive error had been made, it was later decided at great expense to re-double the Wrexham to Chester railway - apart from the now restricted section nearer Wrexham).

It is absolutely bonkers that busy mainlines - such as those through Gloucester / Cheltenham are not electrified.

 

[Bald Rick]

I wonder if when such bridges are replaced over train lines, that they allow increased height to allow for future electrification? Of course, the motorway/road either side would also have to be built up from the present level.

They did not have the sense to build the A483 expressway bridge over the railway north of Wrexham so that twin tracks could be maintained.

To briefly explain the process, when a new road bridge is built over the railway, the relevant highway authority needs to agree with the railway what is built. For at least 50 years, almost every new bridge has been built to OHLE electrification clearances, and most have been built to european gauge clearance.

Re the single track bridge at Wrexham, someone on the railway would have agreed to that, when ever consent was given to build the road.

There are some rare exceptions of course. But there are lots of bridges out there built with a lot more space for OHLE that will never come, or extra tracks that have not materialised and unlikely to do so (eg the M42 bridge just east of Birmingham International has space for 4 tracks).

 

[iamraymond]

I wonder if when such bridges are replaced over train lines, that they allow increased height to allow for future electrification? Of course, the motorway/road either side would also have to be built up from the present level.

They did not have the sense to build the A483 expressway bridge over the railway north of Wrexham so that twin tracks could be maintained. (One track had been ripped up by British Railways so the new road builders only allowed for one track to be bridged. Then, realising that a massive error had been made, it was later decided at great expense to re-double the Wrexham to Chester railway - apart from the now restricted section nearer Wrexham).

It is absolutely bonkers that busy mainlines - such as those through Gloucester / Cheltenham are not electrified.

The 4 track railway that carves through the heart of Bristol is unelectrified. The smell and the pollution is pretty grim to be honest!

 

[Envoy]

The 4 track railway that carves through the heart of Bristol is unelectrified. The smell and the pollution is pretty grim to be honest!

Yes, appalling to have this through a populated area. Bath is the same - narrow valley traps fumes especially during high pressure spells. Bad for public health and the historic buildings.

Good to see that the Welsh had the foresight to create a modern electric network. Hopefully the politicians in the Bristol area will go to Cardiff and try it out.

 

[TPO]

Highways can come up with a lot of disruption, and it's not always well publicised in advance. Anyone who uses the m-way or trunk Road network at night knows that 20:00 is roadworks o'clock when the cones come out, closures go on. And unlike the railway, they don't delay the closure if earlier disruption makes vehicles late.

A couple of particularly bad arrangements a few years ago included both the M50 and M5 being closed at the same time, another was the Heads of the Valleys and M4 at Brynglas both being closed at the same time, plus the southern distributor road around Newport being down to one Lane past the statistics office.

The Highways get mich longer overnight maintenance ance closures than the railway, and seemingly no equivalent of the Rules of the Route.

The railway plans ahead and achieves a lot in a much more constrained situation than Highways does. I am sure the railway maintainers would love blocks between 20:00 and 06:00 rather than the 00:00 to 04:00 that is more usual on the railway!

TPO

 

[QueensCurve]

Yes, appalling to have this through a populated area. Bath is the same - narrow valley traps fumes especially during high pressure spells. Bad for public health and the historic buildings.

Good to see that the Welsh had the foresight to create a modern electric network. Hopefully the politicians in the Bristol area will go to Cardiff and try it out.

When I lived in Bath the venetian blinds accumulated thick layers of abrasive black diesel smuts.

 

[edwin_m]

When I lived in Bath the venetian blinds accumulated thick layers of abrasive black diesel smuts.

At least the 80x have emissions control, although the 158s, 165s, 166s and 66s most certainly don't. But the traffic on the major roads behind the station may well be more to blame.

 

[Vexed]

Highways can come up with a lot of disruption, and it's not always well publicised in advance. Anyone who uses the m-way or trunk Road network at night knows that 20:00 is roadworks o'clock when the cones come out, closures go on. And unlike the railway, they don't delay the closure if earlier disruption makes vehicles late.

A couple of particularly bad arrangements a few years ago included both the M50 and M5 being closed at the same time, another was the Heads of the Valleys and M4 at Brynglas both being closed at the same time, plus the southern distributor road around Newport being down to one Lane past the statistics office.

The Highways get mich longer overnight maintenance ance closures than the railway, and seemingly no equivalent of the Rules of the Route.

The railway plans ahead and achieves a lot in a much more constrained situation than Highways does. I am sure the railway maintainers would love blocks between 20:00 and 06:00 rather than the 00:00 to 04:00 that is more usual on the railway!

TPO

National Highways only publish the next 7 days on the road closures section on their website! Imagine if the rail network was that bad.

In fairness, for specific schemes there can be a press release on closure dates further ahead or roadside signs. The one.network website also shows some closures further ahead.

Closures around London on the M25/M1 are usually 9 or 10pm because of high traffic flows. I've joined a queue approaching a closed junction on the M25 at 1am before and it took 45 minutes before I got to the front and could actually start the diversion... I dread to think how long it would have been a couple hours earlier.

It's psychologically annoying to see roadworks in the process of being set out but not actually started yet at the 8pm/10pm start times. But if it's resurfacing and you're on the other side an hour into the closure I'm always amazed how many vehicles there are doing the work, I'm sure it must exceed 100 sometimes.