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29-629: The Almondsbury Interchange in South Gloucestershire , is one of the United Kingdom 's largest motorway stack interchanges . The interchange is one of only three four-level stacks in the UK, spanning a range (including slip roads) of 1 km by 1 km. It is the interchange for the M5 at junction 15 and M4 at junction 20, and is situated at the northern fringes of Bristol close to

58-625: A smart motorway . The Almondsbury Interchange is immediately adjacent to junction 16 of the M5, which allows traffic on and off the motorway from the A38 road running between Bristol and Gloucester. In fact, it is so close that the slip roads from the A38 junction intertwine with those from the M5/M4 interchange. Unusually within the UK motorway system, this forces multiple lane changes for vehicles traversing some of

87-547: A Joint Local Transport Plan to the DfT in 2006. Other alternative names occasionally in official use for the former Avon area include the West of England and Severnside . The term "CUBA" ( county that used to be Avon ) has also occasionally been used unofficially. The 2001 population of the former county of Avon would have had a population of 983,860. The West of England covers the former county excluding North Somerset. By 2017

116-534: Is a unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire , South West England . Towns in the area include Yate , Chipping Sodbury , Kingswood , Thornbury , Filton , Patchway and Bradley Stoke . The southern part of its area falls within the Greater Bristol urban area surrounding the city of Bristol . South Gloucestershire was created in 1996 to replace the Northavon district of

145-741: Is a rural area, Borough is an urban area. Greater Bristol One definition of "Greater Bristol" is the "Bristol Built-up Area" (previously termed the "Bristol Urban Area"), as defined by the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS). This covers the contiguous built-up area around Bristol, including the towns and villages of Kingswood , Mangotsfield , Stoke Gifford , Bradley Stoke , Patchway , Filton , Almondsbury , Frampton Cotterell and Winterbourne in South Gloucestershire ; Pill , Leigh Woods and Easton-in-Gordano within North Somerset ; and part of Whitchurch which falls within

174-598: Is the national average. In 2005, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer recognised the City of Bristol's ties to science and technology by naming it one of six "science cities", and promising funding for further development of science in the city, with a £300 million science park planned at Emersons Green , in South Gloucestershire. The area is served by BBC West and ITV West Country broadcasting from

203-572: The A38 and M32 ) and to Bath , as well as westward to South Wales and Cardiff via the two Severn bridges . The M5 and M4 motorways provide access to Gloucester and London. Bristol's northern and eastern ring road, the A4174 , passes through South Gloucestershire. The Metrobus express bus network extends from Bristol into South Gloucestershire, and is supported by the district council. The area also has an important and well used railway network, with many direct routes to towns and cities across

232-465: The Mendip TV transmitter. Radio stations for the area are: The River Severn forms the north-western edge of the area, with a wide coastal plain terminated by an escarpment. East of this is the wide River Frome Valley drainage area. Further east is another escarpment running roughly north–south, passing between Yate and Chipping Sodbury and west of Pucklechurch. The Cotswolds Escarpment forms

261-618: The county of Avon , forming the districts of Kingswood and Northavon . In 1996, the county of Avon was abolished, and South Gloucestershire was created as a unitary authority area comprising the former districts of Kingswood and Northavon. The area borders the city and county of Bristol , the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority area, and the shire counties of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The geographic area currently known as South Gloucestershire should not be confused with Southern Gloucestershire. Nor should organisations or bodies in

290-667: The M4/M5 Almondsbury Interchange . Employers with sites in this area include EE and the RAC . South Gloucestershire is home to 99 primary schools, 16 secondary schools, and post-16 colleges and centres. There is one university, the University of the West of England , which was a former polytechnic. In 2008, DCSF figures revealed that there was a 6.6% overall absence in the district's secondary schools, whilst 7.4%

319-675: The M5. This became fully operational in January 2014, after being installed over a two-year period. It involves the use of the hard shoulders on the M4 and M5 over seven miles of motorway during busy times, at which time a variable speed limit function is activated. Thirty-three new overhead gantries have been installed to advise motorists on the speed limits applicable at the time. The system is being enforced by speed cameras, and there are six emergency refuge areas for motorists who get into difficulties. South Gloucestershire South Gloucestershire

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348-541: The UK to return to a Committee System , abolishing the single party Cabinet, as allowed under the Localism Act . This was later reverted to a leader and cabinet system in 2017 during the Conservative majority. For Westminster elections, the area is covered by three constituencies , all lying within the authority boundary. These are: County/Borough is a legal term denoting the type of constituency. County

377-641: The UK. This includes eastward to London and westward through the Severn Tunnel to Cardiff and the rest of South Wales. There are also routes to the South-West counties and north to England's second city, Birmingham . Many routes cross in Stoke Gifford at Bristol Parkway station . There are six stations within the district, mainly located near the border with Bristol in the west of the district. The Conservatives held an overall majority on

406-641: The abolished county of Avon . It is separate from Gloucestershire County Council , but is part of the ceremonial county and shares Gloucestershire's Lord Lieutenant (the Sovereign's representative to the county). Because of its history as part of the county of Avon, South Gloucestershire works closely with the other unitary authorities that took over when that county was abolished, including shared services such as Avon Fire and Rescue Service and Avon and Somerset Police , together with co-operation in planning strategy for transport, roads and housing. Prior to

435-545: The administrative area of Bath and North East Somerset . However, this ONS definition does not include the city of Bath , or the towns of Yate , Keynsham , Portishead , Clevedon or Weston-super-Mare . The ONS give a figure for the population of the Bristol Urban Area of 617,280, making it the eleventh largest conurbation in England and Wales . The 2001 census figure was 551,006 and the 1991 census figure

464-566: The area from 1974 to 1996, were similar to those of the Bristol travel to work area as originally defined in the 1950s. The former county area is still used in some official UK statistics and by local and regional authorities, for example in transport planning, with the South West Regional Government Office commissioning a Greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study in 2005, and the local authorities presenting

493-548: The council from 2015 until 2023; previously no party had overall control, except for 1999–2003 when the Liberal Democrats had a majority. After the 2023 elections, Labour and the Liberal Democrats formed a coalition which took control of the council, this being Labour's first time in control and the Liberal Democrats for the first time in twenty years. In 2012, it became one of the first authorities in

522-553: The crossing wishing to use the M5 southbound from Avonmouth onwards) can bypass the interchange by using the M49 motorway . Under normal conditions, traffic flows freely through the interchange. Congestion becomes a problem in heavy traffic flow because of the close proximity of the A38 junction to the Interchange. This makes the required changing of lanes when travelling west on the M5 much more problematic. The more vehicles there are,

551-571: The eastern edge of South Gloucestershire, while the western half is mainly urbanised. A small part of the Cotswolds and the National Trust site of Dyrham Park are also in the district. South of the motorways are suburbs of Bristol while areas north are rural. Some of the inner green belts have been taken away by developments like the new town of Bradley Stoke. Many areas of South Gloucestershire have easy commuting access to Bristol (via

580-402: The harder it is to change lane, and when in the summer season of holiday traffic, the vehicles crawl along or grind to a halt, the surrounding sliproads can simultaneously become blocked, and this can make things even more difficult on the M5 for those wanting to change lane. The Interchange is at the centre of a managed motorway project which covers junctions 19 to 20 on the M4 and 15 to 17 on

609-592: The heavily developed area between the northern edge of Bristol and the M5 motorway , an area sometimes described as the North Fringe of Bristol . This includes the Cribbs Causeway shopping centre , comprising The Mall regional shopping centre and the surrounding retail parks. East of Patchway are the Aztec West and Almondsbury business parks either side of the A38 , extending to Bradley Stoke and

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638-539: The implementation of the Local Government Act 1972 on 1 April 1974, the area that now forms South Gloucestershire formed part of the shire county of Gloucestershire , comprising the urban districts of Kingswood and Mangotsfield and the Rural Districts of Warmley , Sodbury and Thornbury . However, under the terms of that act, the area was removed from Gloucestershire, and became part of

667-661: The local authority with 9,500 people and the Ministry of Defence Headquarters for Defence Procurement and the Naval Support Command with 7,000 employees. Other key employers include Airbus , Rolls-Royce and the Royal Mail , which dominates the Filton - Patchway area of South Gloucestershire. Friends Provident and Hewlett-Packard also have major offices in nearby Stoke Gifford . Many employers operate in

696-421: The past titled 'South Gloucestershire' (meaning Southern Gloucestershire) be confused with the area covered by the unitary authority. At the 2001 census , the population of South Gloucestershire was 245,641. At the 2011 census, the population had increased to 262,767. At the 2021 census , the population estimate for South Gloucestershire is 290,400. According to the 2001 census estimates, 97.6 percent of

725-510: The population was described as white, 0.8 percent as dual heritage, 0.7 percent as Asian or Asian British, 0.4 percent as Black or Black British and 0.5 percent as Chinese or other. Much of the population is in towns that form the 'suburbs' to the north and east of Bristol. There are also the large towns of Yate and its neighbour Chipping Sodbury , Thornbury , the large villages of Winterbourne and Frampton Cotterell , Wickwar , Alveston , Olveston and Tockington . The main employers are

754-555: The routes. The centres of the junctions are at Ordnance Survey Grid References ST 617837 (M5 J15/ Almondsbury Interchange) and ST 606833 (M5 J16/ A38), and are therefore 1.2 km apart. Almondsbury Interchange was the first four-level interchange in the United Kingdom. It was designed by Freeman Fox and Robert Earley. When it opened in 1966, it was the most complex junction on the British motorway network. The interchange

783-408: The village of Almondsbury , the Aztec West industrial estate, and Bradley Stoke . When it opened in 1966, it was the most complex junction on the British motorway network, a free-flowing interchange on four levels. Since then traffic volumes have increased. At busy periods, the Interchange becomes more difficult to negotiate safely. In an attempt to ease congestion, the Interchange has become part of

812-468: Was 522,784. The urban area is subdivided into the following: The wider "Greater Bristol" area – that is, the former Avon county area – has since 1996 been divided for local government purposes between Bristol City Council, and Bath and North East Somerset , North Somerset , and South Gloucestershire councils, and is shown on the map on this page. The boundaries of the County of Avon, which administered

841-695: Was built by Richard Costain Ltd , with work commencing in May 1964. The bridge was opened by the Queen on 8 September 1966. The interchange handles high volumes of traffic especially in the morning and evening rush hours. It is overlooked by the RAC Tower. Traffic travelling northbound on the M5 from Portishead intending to use the Second Severn Crossing (or, in the opposite sense, vehicles eastbound on

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