A PETITION calling for a new junction on the M4 has been handed to the Transport Secretary.

More than 1,100 people signed the petition calling for a new Junction 18A to be created on the Avon Ring Road in South Gloucestershire.

The £50million link is seen as a vital addition to the region’s road network to reduce congestion and alleviate heavy traffic in villages including Wick, Westerleigh and Pucklechurch.

One of its biggest supporters is Thornbury and Yate MP Luke Hall who, along with fellow Conservative MPs in the region, handed the petition to Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin MP at Westminster on Tuesday (January 19).

He said: “The meeting with the Secretary of State for Transport represents a real step forward for my campaign to see investment in local infrastructure such as the Junction 18A.

“It is great to see infrastructure improvements really back on the agenda here.

“The strength of the support from residents and local businesses has been overwhelming and has really helped bolster our case when we pressed the need for the junction in our meeting with him.

“I am delighted that the campaign is progressing steadily and that the Department for Transport is open to the scheme”.

More than 100 local businesses have also joined calls for the link and a report, the Gateway to Growth, written by the University of Bath highlight six key economic benefits of the new junction. South Gloucestershire Council has already agreed to fund an £80,000 feasibility study into the project.

Mr McLcoughlin said: "I know just what a difference Junction 18a on the M4 would make to Bristol and the surrounding areas.

“Transport has a key role in unlocking growth potential and I have seen for myself the plans that are in place if this scheme is built.

“I am sure that local MPs and the LEP will continue to work together to promote the benefits of a new junction and I look forward to hearing more from the campaign."