A vital junction on the M5 motorway in Somerset has been closed for three months to allow for a £5.7 million upgrade of the A38 Chelston Link Road, widely known as the ‘concrete carriageway.’ This route connects junction 26 of the M5 with the town of Wellington, nearby business parks, and surrounding villages along the Blackdown Hills.
The closure began at 9pm on Sunday, June 15, as Somerset Council and contractor Heidelberg Materials started an extensive project to fully rebuild and resurface this ageing road. The current road surface dates back to the motorway’s initial construction in the mid-1970s and has deteriorated significantly over recent years, causing vehicle damage and uncomfortable journeys.
Drivers heading to Wellington from the M5 will need to detour via neighboring junctions at Taunton and Tiverton throughout the works, with delays anticipated along both stretches of the A38. Completion is scheduled for mid-September.
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The Chelston Link Road was originally built in 1974 to connect Wellington and the M5 towards Taunton, with the southbound section to Tiverton and Exeter finished two years later. Now, the road surface will be rejuvenated using an innovative “rubblization” technique. This method breaks up the existing concrete, which is then reused as a sub-base for the new surface. This approach, commonly used for airport runways, avoids removing approximately 7,300 tonnes of concrete from the site, reducing carbon emissions by an estimated 200 tonnes and preventing about 1,130 lorry trips on local roads.
The upgrade will be carried out in four phases. Work started on the western side of the junction 26 roundabout, affecting all slip roads except for vehicles servicing National Highways’ Chelston depot. By July, phase two will commence on the roundabout’s eastern side, including road construction under the motorway. Phases three and four focus on reconstructing and resurfacing stretches of the Chelston Link Road between two roundabouts, prioritizing access to Foxmoor Business Park and the northern route towards Westpark 26.
Councillor Richard Wilkins, Somerset’s transport portfolio holder, thanked local residents and businesses for their input during recent consultations. “While we understand the disruption this closure causes, replacing the road now is better than ongoing costly patch repairs that would still lead to long-term closures,” he said. Wilkins emphasized that the project had secured significant government funding and that the timing aligns with other necessary maintenance on the M5.
Somerset County Council has allocated £5.7 million for these works, with £4.783 million provided by the Department for Transport through a grant secured in July 2020. The timing accommodates busy summer holiday traffic and allows National Highways to access the Chelston gritting depot ahead of winter.
During the works, the Chelston Link Road will be closed south of Foxmoor Business Park, with access maintained to businesses from the north under temporary traffic controls and a 20mph speed restriction.
National Highways route manager Jonathan Hill commented on the collaboration: “We worked closely with Somerset Council to plan these works, ensuring minimal impact and safety across the strategic road network. Our requirements to maintain depot access for winter maintenance have also been integrated into the scheme schedule.”
Motorists are advised to plan journeys carefully during the closure period and anticipate longer travel times when using alternative routes.