The M5 motorway’s Junction 26 and the A38 Chelston link road near Wellington are set to undergo a significant transformation, with a three-month closure beginning Sunday night. Somerset Council is commencing a £5.7 million refurbishment project to replace the ageing 51-year-old concrete road and motorway junction constructed in 1974.
Funded entirely through Government grants, the essential upgrade aims to improve safety, surface quality, and drainage on this heavily trafficked stretch. To facilitate the work, all slip roads at Junction 26, the associated roundabout, and the A38 link road connecting the motorway to Chelston roundabout will be closed from the evening of 15 June until late September.
While the closure will affect general traffic, access to Foxmoor Business Park will be maintained 24/7 from the Chelston roundabout exclusively for business-related traffic. Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Waste Services, Councillor Richard Wilkins, acknowledges the inevitable disruption but emphasizes the necessity of the closure.
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“We’ve engaged widely with local residents and businesses, and while it’s clear this will be challenging, most understand the work must be done,” Councillor Wilkins said. “Doing nothing would mean costly, ongoing patches and sporadic disruptions that wouldn’t fully resolve the problem. With government funding secured, this is the only viable time to complete these crucial repairs. We appreciate everyone’s patience and encourage careful planning during the works.”
Jonathan Hill, National Highways Route Manager, expressed support for the scheme, explaining that collaboration with Somerset Council ensured the project’s timing minimises broader traffic impacts. “We reviewed the traffic modeling and have confidence that the disruption and safety considerations are manageable,” Hill said.
The Council and National Highways will maintain close communication throughout the works, monitoring traffic flow and safety on the strategic road network, aiming to minimise inconvenience where possible.