Somerset Council has confirmed that a major multi-million-pound upgrade to the Edithmead roundabout near the M5 motorway in Somerset will continue as planned, despite recent announcements regarding increased defence spending. The roundabout improvement is part of a broader initiative aimed at reducing congestion, shortening journey times, and enhancing road safety along the A38 corridor between the M5 and Bristol Airport.
Working in partnership with North Somerset Council, Somerset Council is delivering the ‘A38 Major Road Network’ programme, which includes transforming the Edithmead roundabout at junction 22 into a signalised ‘throughabout’ similar to the recently completed Dunball scheme in Bridgwater.
Following indications that Centregreat is set to undertake the Edithmead project, speculation arose on social media suggesting that the entire A38 programme might be cancelled to reallocate government funds toward increased defence expenditure. However, Somerset Council has firmly denied these claims, stating that the Department for Transport (DfT) is expected to approve the final business case shortly, allowing the work to proceed.
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The defence spending rise was announced in late June by then-Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who outlined a £15 billion increase over the next four years. The additional funding is to come from savings within the DfT and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). While this has led to the cancellation of two road schemes elsewhere in the UK-the A46 Newark bypass in Lincolnshire and improvements to the A38 in Derby-the Somerset plans remain secure.
A Somerset Council spokesperson emphasised: “The funding of the A38 major road network schemes will not be impacted by this announcement.”
The total cost for the A38 schemes is approximately £30 million, with Centregreat’s successful tender covering an estimated £12.8 million worth of work. This includes the Dunball scheme and the schemes within Somerset Council’s jurisdiction.
The tender documents detail three key projects to be delivered by Somerset Council:
- The conversion of Edithmead roundabout into a signalised throughabout, facilitating smoother movement from the M5 onto the northbound A38 Bristol Road towards Cheddar and Weston-super-Mare.
- The remodelling of the Cross junction near Axbridge to create a staggered crossroads with safer pedestrian crossing facilities.
- Enhancements to the Shute Shelve crossing near Axbridge, integral to the Strawberry Line active travel route.
Curiously, a fourth planned scheme focusing on traffic calming measures in Rooksbridge does not appear within the tender documents, potentially indicating it might proceed under different arrangements or have been omitted to manage costs.
Looking ahead, Somerset Council’s executive committee is scheduled to decide on preparatory works at the Edithmead roundabout, following previous clearance of trees and vegetation at the site. This decision will precede the confirmation of the project’s start date and details regarding any necessary traffic diversions, once the final business case receives approval.