The government’s latest road investment strategy (RIS3), released by the Department for Transport (DfT) on March 26, outlines key road infrastructure projects across England slated for completion by 2031. While several major projects are set to proceed in the wider South West region, Somerset has been notably excluded from new funding allocations.
Highlighted schemes include a new dual carriageway on the A417 near Gloucester and improvements to junction 28 of the M5 near Cullompton. However, no new major road projects will receive government funds in Somerset during this five-year period. This absence of investment means that congestion issues on critical routes such as the M5 and A303 will likely persist, impacting local commuters and businesses.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander MP emphasized the importance of this investment plan, stating, “For too long this country has failed to tackle and fix our crumbling infrastructure. This funding will secure the future of our road network in the South West, delivering smoother and faster journeys from Southampton to Exeter.”
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A map from the DfT shows only one project within Somerset—that being the recently completed A303 upgrade between the Podimore and Sparkford roundabouts. The nearest funded initiatives are two safety improvement programmes: one on the A303 west of Marsh in Devon and another on the A36 east of Frome in Wiltshire.
National Highways executive director Elliot Shaw highlighted the broader economic benefits of the investment, stating, “By maintaining and improving our motorways and major A-roads, we’re supporting the country’s growth, keeping drivers safe, and helping businesses and communities thrive.”
Previously proposed plans to dual the A358 corridor between Taunton and Ilminster were scrapped in October 2024 by Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP due to concerns over cost-effectiveness. Despite efforts from Yeovil MP Adam Dance to secure upgrades to the Southfields roundabout and dual carriageway improvements between Ilminster and South Petherton, these projects were not included in the current strategy.
Additionally, the much-anticipated junction 22a on the M5, intended to serve the £4 billion Agratas gigafactory between Puriton and Woolavington, is absent from RIS3. Somerset Council’s Gravity enterprise zone director Ian Gray shared that discussions with National Highways continue and that contractor Costain has been appointed to advance the design, but detailed plans remain unseen by the council.
The strategy also excludes National Highways’ ongoing M5 maintenance programme and smaller local upgrades funded through other means, such as the £6.4 million Edithmead roundabout improvement in Highbridge funded by the DfT’s major road network scheme.
Without new government funding, Somerset faces continued challenges in addressing congestion and infrastructure renewal on its major roads amid broader regional investment.