A new £50 million motorway junction dubbed "Britain's most expensive dead end" is causing traffic chaos for surrounding villages and it won't be open until Christmas 2022 doubted a local councillor.
The M49 link road in Severn Beach, near Avonmouth, was supposed to connect a distribution centre with the motorway and was built in late 2019 but it still hasn't been connected to local highways.
Firms using the distribution park include Amazon, Tesco, Lidl, Next, DHL and The Range.
Now two years later since it was built and no traffic is using it with motorists that drive down the motorway junction coming to a frustrating dead-end.
At the same time local villages are receiving the traffic which could be using the link road.
This week the local council claimed it had made "important step forwards" but the optimism is not shared by all the councillors.
The decision was made "to approve the officer recommendations to deliver the link road to join the new M49 junction with the local highway network".
But local parish councillor Peter Tyzack doesn't have high hopes for the project - saying it will be "lucky" if it's open by Christmas 2022.
He said: "All the traffic that would be going on the motorway is coming through the villages, which is a nightmare for us.
"From the day they dig the first turf, it'll be 12 months before the road can be opened.
"We'll be lucky if we get it open for next Christmas."
The new junction would be the only one on the short M49 - which links the M5 at Avonmouth with a bridge that crosses the River Severn.
South Gloucestershire Council spokesperson said: "At their meeting on 11 October, our cabinet has agreed an approach with the Department for Transport and National Highways that will help the delivery of the M49 link road.
"This decision is an important step forwards and will allow us to progress work with our partners in delivering the M49 link to unlock the significant benefits that it will bring to South Gloucestershire, local communities and the wider region."
