Cheltenham MP Alex Chalk has described the A40 as a "furred up artery" which needs "unclogging."

Speaking in Parliament, he backed calls for infrastructure improvements to help improve traffic flow along the route. Future road use is forecast to rise "between 70 and 140 movements per peak hour by 2031" in key sections of the A40.

The Cheltenham MP was speaking during a debate on congestion on the A40 in Parliament on Tuesday 9 January.

He said: "The situation at the moment is that the A40 is like a furred up artery. If we could just unclog that artery, it would be good for jobs, businesses, social mobility and all the things we want to see in Gloucestershire as well as Oxfordshire."

Mr Chalk further highlighted the impact on employment and the local economy saying: "I have spoken to representatives of businesses in Eagle Tower, in the centre of Cheltenham, which are struggling to recruit people because they cannot persuade them to travel from London. Whether the company is GE Aviation, Spirax-Sarco or GCHQ, better communications mean better recruitment and are better for the local economy."

Mr Chalk commented: "This week there has been a understandable focus on Brexit and I spoke on that issue in Parliament this week (Thursday 11 January).

"But it is important that local issues do not get completely side-lined at this critical time. We have already won significant cash for Cheltenham's economy, with the £22m development of the cyber hub, investment in local rail services with more trains, more seats and a sub 2 hour service to London. We have also secured Government backing for a solution to the A417 Air Balloon bottleneck.

"The A40 is one of Cheltenham's major through routes and I want to see the logjams that restrict access being addressed."