Cowcombe Hill

Published: 16 October 2025

Gloucestershire Highways has installed temporary traffic signals at Cowcombe Hill, Chalford following the emergence of significant carriageway defects caused by subsidence and underlying ground movement. These conditions have resulted in wide and deep cracks across the road surface, posing a serious safety risk to road users.

The site is under continuous monitoring by Gloucestershire Highways. However, due to the severity of the damage, the traffic signals have been introduced as a necessary safety measure. Similar ground movement issues have been identified at other locations across the county, likely linked to the prolonged period of dry weather experienced over the summer.

Plans are in place to carry out permanent carriageway repairs. These works are currently pending the availability of specialist resources. Once scheduled, the repairs are expected to take no more than a couple of days. However, due to the location of some of the cracks - particularly those near the centre line, a full road closure will be required to ensure a safe working environment for our workforce.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the temporary traffic signals. These measures are essential to protect the safety of all road users, and we thank the public for their patience and understanding during this time.

In addition, a water leak at the site has been reported to Severn Trent Water, who have been urged to attend and resolve the issue as a matter of urgency.