Bridgwater is facing escalating traffic congestion linked to ongoing and planned large-scale housing developments, a local councillor has cautioned. The town’s rapid growth, fuelled by significant projects such as the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, the £4 billion gigafactory between Puriton and Woolavington, and the absence of phosphate restrictions hindering developments elsewhere in Somerset, is placing unprecedented strain on its road network.
Liz Browne of Bridgwater Without Parish Council has highlighted the shortcomings of the current fragmented approach toward managing housing estate developments. She warns that without a cohesive strategy, traffic challenges will intensify. Speaking at Somerset Council’s climate and place scrutiny committee on January 15, Browne revealed that three major developments along the A372 and A39 corridor in east Bridgwater—totaling 1,600 homes—could severely impact local highways when considered together.
The developments include Countryside Partnerships’ nearly completed 260-home Strawberry Grange project north of a newly constructed roundabout, Barratt Homes Bristol’s approved 530-home Folletts Farm site south of the roundabout, and Edward Ware (Bridgwater) Ltd.’s proposed 750-home estate featuring a primary school, community hub, and a new spine road connecting the A372 and A39.
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Browne emphasized that while individual transport assessments claim minimal impact, national and local planning policies demand evaluation of cumulative effects on highway safety, congestion, and network reliability—particularly where multiple projects impact the same transport corridors.
She urged Somerset Council to conduct comprehensive, independent modelling of the combined developments’ effects on three already congested junctions serving east Bridgwater, questioning if current assessments sufficiently address performance beyond peak traffic hours.
An independent traffic study commissioned by Bridgwater Without Parish Council compared data from 2019 with projections that include the new developments. It found that the three projects combined could add approximately 680 two-way vehicle trips during morning peak hours and 820 during evenings on the A372 corridor. The report concluded that cumulative impacts are significant and stressed the need for greater clarity before relying on isolated assessments.
Councillor Henry Hobhouse, committee chair, acknowledged the complexity of these concerns and promised a written response to Browne, noting the absence of the relevant officer due to illness.
With no current planning committee date set for Edward Ware’s proposals, the Somerset Council’s strategic planning committee is slated to review updates on key development sites across the county at their Jan 22 meeting in Taunton.