A358 dual carriageway plans could replace M5 roundabout

A new multi-million pound roundabout off the M5 in Somerset could be scrapped in a big shake up of plans to turn the A358 into a dual carriageway.

The roundabout near junction 25 was opened in 2021 as part of a £19.2m improvement scheme.

In the original design a new dual carriageway linked up with the roundabout.

National Highways has since published fresh proposals discarding the roundabout in favour of crossroads.

The A358 is a key route linking the South West with London and the South East.

A planned upgrade would see the single lane between Taunton and the Southfields roundabout near Ilminster turned into dual carriageway.

Katherine Liddington, senior project manager for the £328m scheme, said: "We plan to upgrade approximately 8.5 miles of the A358 to a new high-quality and high-performing dual carriageway, which will reduce congestion, enhance safety and improve connectivity for road users and local communities, while unlocking economic growth in Somerset and beyond.

"Since our 2021 consultation we've made some changes to our preliminary design, which will improve safety and access to local roads and reduce the impact on communities, the environment and the local landscape."

The amended plans would see the new roundabout removed by 2028.

Instead there would be crossroads controlled by four-way traffic lights just south of the Gateway park and ride site.

The crossroads would link the newly dualled A358 to the M5, with a southern spur providing access to the Nexus 25 employment site, National Highways said.

It explained the new junction would include signalised pedestrianised crossing and facilitate management of traffic around junction 25.

Taunton Deane MP Rebecca Pow said: "It is as important as ever that the A303/A358 corridor is improved.

"I hope as many people as possible will take part in this supplementary consultation."

In a statement, Somerset County Council said: "We understood from the outset in delivering the Junction 25 improvements that it was likely there would need to be some further work on the Nexus roundabout element to accommodate any future improvements on the A358."

"Development and design of the Junction 25 project began nearly seven years ago, and the current layout will have been operational for several years by the time the A358 dualling is realised. The J25 scheme needed to be delivered within a specific timeframe to qualify for funding and it needed to be operational, with full access to the proposed Nexus industrial park to ensure Taunton's future economic growth wasn't held up."

The public consultation runs until June 26.

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