A £50 million section of motorway near Bristol remains unused more than six years after it was completed. The new junction on the M49, near Avonmouth, was finished in December 2019 but currently leads nowhere, leaving drivers and local officials frustrated.
Ghost Junction Leaves Workers Baffled
Workers at a nearby retail site, which includes warehouses for Tesco, Amazon, and Royal Mail, have been left puzzled by the so-called 'ghost junction'. Lorry drivers have been particularly affected, forced to use the A403 and other smaller roads, causing congestion and delays.
Trucker David Bradbury, 48, described the situation as 'a complete farce - absolutely mental', adding that it highlights the state of planning in the country.
Planning Issues Blamed
Peter Tyzack, a parish councillor for Pilning and Severn Beach, said the problem could have been avoided. He explained that the distribution site was built under 1950s planning rules, and when the M49 junction plan emerged, the land needed for the link road was not owned by the council or National Highways and lacked planning permission.
After the junction was built, the landowner had sold off plots, forcing the council to negotiate with more than 20 different organisations. This process took years and caused costs to spiral.
Opening Expected This Autumn
The road is now expected to open this autumn. A spokesperson for South Gloucestershire Council said: 'Construction of the link road is underway on site and due to be completed by the end of 2026.'
