Upgrades to Bridgwater roundabout to start next month
Works will start soon on a crucial roundabout near the M5
Last updated 6th Oct 2024
A long-awaited upgrade to a crucial roundabout near the M5 will finally begin after this year’s Bridgwater Carnival, Somerset Council has confirmed.
Somerset County Council was awarded £10m from the government’s levelling up fund in October 2021 to deliver improvements to the ‘Bridgwater northern corridor’, which runs from the Dunball roundabout to the Cross Rifles roundabout via the A38 Bristol Road.
Its successor, Somerset Council, announced in January that it would be diverting money from the Cross Rifles element of the upgrade to deliver the Dunball roundabout improvements in light of high inflation within the construction industry.
After appointing its chosen contractor (the Bridgend-based Centregreat) in early-August, the council has now finally confirmed the Dunball upgrade will begin on November 11 – meaning there will be no disruption for this year’s carnival, taking place on November 2.
The Dunball roundabout links the A38 Bristol Road to junction 23 of the M5, boasting two separate motorway services and one of the Hinkley Point C park and ride facilities.
Under the agreed proposals, the roundabout will be completely signalised and converted into a ‘throughabout’, allowing northbound traffic a smoother, quicker journey towards both the M5 and the new £4bn ‘gigafactory’ which will be constructed on the nearby Gravity enterprise zone.
The throughabout will be of a similar design to the improvements implemented at the Bunford Lane roundabout in Yeovil, which were delivered by the county council as part of the ‘Yeovil western corridor’ upgrades in 2019.
Councillor Richard Wilkins, portfolio holder for transport and waste services, said: “This is a vital project at a very busy interchange where there can sometimes be significant delays for road users during peak times, and it is also very difficult to access for pedestrians and cyclists.
“Improving traffic flow at this roundabout is vital for the county’s continued economic growth, with massive investment set to come to Bridgwater in the coming years.”
In addition to increasing capacity for motor vehicles, the roundabout upgrade will include improved pedestrian and cycling connections, which will link up with the existing cycle lanes along the A38 Bristol Road to the Express Park.
The Dunball roundabout forms part of the ‘purple route’ within the Bridgwater local cycling and walking infrastructure plan (LCWIP), which will eventually reach from the Gravity site to the town centre via the Puriton footbridge, the River Parrett and the Northgate Docks.
Large sections of this route have already been delivered, with the section from the Express Park to Saltlands Bridge (a.k.a. the A39 Western Way) opening in November 2022 and work on the section between Linham Road and the docks due to finish later in the autumn.
The Dunball upgrade was originally budgeted to cost just under £5.3m, of which around £2.1m would have come from the levelling up fund, just over £2.3m from nearby housing developments, £400,000 from the Bridgwater town deal and £250,000 from National Highways (which manages the M5).
The entire Dunball roundabout upgrade and the associated active travel improvements is expected to cost £10.7m, of which just over £6.6m will be specifically directed towards the Dunball roundabout and changes to the Cross Rifles roundabout (where the A38 Bristol Road meets the A39 Bath Road).
To save money in the years ahead, this contract can be extended to include the planned £6.4m upgrade of the Edithmead roundabout in Highbridge and other nearby improvements to the A38 heading towards Bristol Airport.
The work on the Dunball roundabout will coincide with other major roadworks in Bridgwater and the surrounding road network – including improvements relating to the Agratas gigafactory and the delivery of three sections of the ‘Celebration Mile’ within the town centre (the latter of which is funded by £9m from the Bridgwater town deal.
Mr Wilkins said: “Dunball comes at a busy time for Bridgwater with major ongoing work on two important schemes in the area – the Celebration Mile and Agratas power supply works.
“These projects represent a big investment in the area, but also bring significant pressure on the road network in and around Bridgwater.
“Ideally, the work would be staggered, but all the projects are highly time-sensitive and in the case of the Celebration Mile and Dunball, funding must be spent within a certain time-scale.
“This is a challenging time and we understand there will be concerns locally. We will be working hard to ensure works can be coordinated in a way that reduces disruption as much as possible.
“Ultimately this is about an incredibly positive future for Bridgwater and Somerset.”
Most of the Dunball improvements will be implemented using lane closures and temporary traffic signals, to reduce the immediate impact on drivers.
However, some short-term evening closures will be required in early-2025, specifically on the A39 link road between the roundabout and junction 23.
During this time, motorists will still be able to enter and exit the M5 via J23, following diversion routes – the details of which will be published before the end of the year.
A council spokesman said: “Our streetworks team is working closely with the contractors on all three schemes to minimise disruption for residents and businesses when work commences on Dunball.
“The team is constantly reviewing traffic management with the contractor working for Agratas and making changes where possible. However, a level of disruption is unavoidable.
“We will be giving as much notice as we can when there is significant disruption, to allow people to plan and to promote alternative routes where possible.”