The Highways Agency is liaising closely with Gloucester county council and recognises the need to address the traffic congestion problems at and on the approaches to the Air Balloon roundabout. An A417 Cowley to Brockworth Bypass Improvement Scheme, which avoided the need for trunk road traffic to pass through the Air Balloon roundabout has been developed with a cost benefit analysis. However, the major scheme could not be taken forward because of the £250 million scheme cost. The Agency is now in the process of investigating outline options for a scheme to improve the junction in the short term without prejudicing any consideration of a longer term major improvement. This work is currently scheduled to be completed by the end of this financial year. When an agreed solution has been identified a full cost-benefit analysis will be undertaken and funding will be prioritised against other schemes nationally.