Sitting patiently in a stationary car, surrounded by rolling countryside in North Somerset, I wait as a massive tipper truck maneuvers slowly to clear the route. This familiar scene of traffic jams has long been a hallmark of Banwell, a picturesque village that has struggled with chronic congestion for decades.
Banwell’s narrow lanes, squeezed between two major A-roads, the A368 and A371, funnel a constant stream of vehicles—cars, buses, and large lorries—right through its heart. At certain points, the roads are so tight that only one vehicle can pass at a time, leading to lengthy queues that stretch through the village streets.
But today’s delay isn’t caused by the usual suspects. Instead, I find myself touring the under-construction Banwell bypass in the back of a yellow vehicle, donning bright orange hi-vis overalls. This half-finished £105 million project, which began in earnest last spring, is slated for completion in 2027 and hopes to solve decades of traffic misery once and for all.
The bypass, designed in an M-shape and stretching 3.5 kilometres north of Banwell, will allow vehicles to skirt around the village rather than funneling through its narrow lanes. Currently, only part of the road is surfaced with tarmac—up to Wolvershill Road—beyond which we bounce along rough construction tracks tracing the route of the new road.
Engineering this route means crossing about 20 watercourses, from small rhynes to the River Banwell itself. To protect these waterways and the local wildlife, large concrete culverts will carry water beneath the road, complete with dedicated shelves enabling small mammals to safely pass under the bypass.
The River Banwell, temporarily redirected through an underground flume during construction, will be restored to a natural, open watercourse flowing beneath a nearly finished bridge. Surrounding environmental efforts include new tree planting, designated grazing areas, and even an artificial badger sett.
Katie Park, North Somerset Council’s senior project manager, describes the project as “definitely an environmental scheme with a road going through it,” expressing hope that the bypass “will restore Banwell’s village identity” by removing through traffic and eliminating the notorious pinch points.
My guide for the visit is Roy Rice, a lifelong Banwell resident and local historian who is now the first “official” inhabitant of the new bypass area. Born in 1944, Mr. Rice has witnessed firsthand the village’s transformation—from a bustling square controlled by two policemen in the 1950s to today’s traffic-clogged crossroads where historic buildings have given way to road widening projects and parked vehicles.
“The square is no longer there,” he reflects. In the 1960s, an entire row of houses, including the butcher’s shop, was demolished to widen the road. Yet despite these changes, traffic volume soared, and parking along the road has only made the situation worse.
Mr. Rice’s home doubles as a museum, showcasing the village’s rich history through maps, photographs, and relics. On his stairway hangs the old sign from Clarks, a bootmaker and bicycle shop that once stood at “the narrows”—the notoriously tight stretch of the A371 in the village centre.
He recounts incidents where cars, struggling to navigate the narrow street, crashed into shops, even falling into basements below. The last crash led authorities to forbid rebuilding on the damaged site, a testament to how difficult traffic conditions have become.
Banwell’s traffic troubles are far from new. Local records reveal that in 1754, the village stone cross was moved and eventually removed because it obstructed traffic. The idea of a bypass dates back to 1927, but only now, almost a century later, is the plan coming to fruition.
With the bypass nearing completion, Banwell looks forward to reclaiming its quiet charm and relieving the pressure of constant traffic—a transformation long hoped for by residents and commuters alike.