PJA was appointed by St Modwen Developments Ltd to provide transport planning inputs in relation to a planning application for a new business park at and adjacent to the existing Quedgeley East Business Park. The greenfield element of the site is allocated within the Stroud District Council adopted Local Plan (2015) for B1-B8 employment uses.

As part of the assessment, a VISSIM microsimulation model was prepared by PJA, which enabled modelling of the interrelated traffic patterns at the Cross Keys roundabout, M5 Junction 12 and the B4008 Stonehouse junction.

The model showed congestion extending back from the Cross Keys roundabout to the M5 in the future year scenario when taking into consideration traffic associated with the development proposals. The nearby Hunts Grove development has committed to the part-signalisation of the Cross Keys roundabout, with further funding from the Department for Transport. With this mitigation the queue lengths at the roundabout would be reduced, no longer extending to the M5.

The modelling also identified further queuing back onto the M5 Southbound off-slip, from the M5 Junction 12 signalised junction. This queuing would be worsened by the impact of the proposed development. To mitigate against this, PJA proposed a scheme which widened the slip road to two lanes along its entire length, with the design prepared in collaboration with PJA Engineering.

Throughout the modelling process, PJA was in communication with Highways England and Gloucestershire County Council Highways, to ensure that the solution would be acceptable to both parties.

The planning application was submitted in August 2016 and is awaiting a decision.