Somerset Council, in partnership with North Somerset Council, has confirmed the start date for a significant upgrade of the Edithmead roundabout near the M5 motorway, close to Bristol Airport. This major project is part of a wider £18 million scheme to enhance the A38 corridor between the M5 and Bristol Airport, aiming to reduce journey times, alleviate congestion, and improve road safety.
The Edithmead roundabout, which connects Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge to junction 22 of the M5, will undergo a transformation into a signalised ‘throughabout’. This design change will enable smoother traffic flow from the M5 onto the northbound A38 Bristol Road heading towards Cheddar and Weston-super-Mare. Two lanes will be constructed through the centre of the roundabout to provide a more direct route for northbound traffic, reducing the risk of tailbacks on the motorway slip road.
The entire roundabout will be widened, adding additional lanes on approaches from the M5, the A38 Bristol Road, and the B3140. New pedestrian and cycling paths will also be introduced on the western side, offering safer active travel options for people moving along Bristol Road.
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Environmental considerations are integrated into the scheme, with a new attenuation basin planned at the roundabout’s centre to guard against flooding, alongside enhancements to the Brent Broad Rhyne and local waterways.
Josephine Paterson, senior officer in Somerset Council’s infrastructure and transport commissioning team, explained the initiative’s goals: “The scheme is designed to improve road safety, journey time reliability, active travel connectivity and network resilience along the A38 corridor, while supporting planned housing and employment growth and addressing impacts on the strategic road network. Delivering this scheme proactively addresses future infrastructure needs anticipated by National Highways and leverages current Department for Transport funding.”
The Edithmead upgrade is one of four schemes scheduled within Somerset Council’s area, with projects also planned at Cross, Rooksbridge, and Shute Shelve junctions. The total combined cost is estimated at nearly £18.8 million, funded through a mix of Department for Transport grants, council resources, and contributions from local housing developments.
Following executive committee approval expected on 2 September, the appointed contractor Centregreat-also responsible for the recently completed Dunball roundabout enhancements-will begin preparatory work in mid-October, including establishing a construction compound.
Main construction at Edithmead is set to commence on 6 January 2027 and continue for one year until 4 January 2028. Throughout this period, motorists should anticipate roadworks with potential partial or full closures, speed restrictions, and diversions, details of which will be released in due course on the Somerset Council website.
Notably, upgrades at the Cross junction are scheduled to overlap with the later months of the Edithmead redevelopment, potentially causing concurrent delays on the A38 between August 2027 and March 2028. Timetables for improvements at Rooksbridge and Shute Shelve remain to be announced.
Motorists, especially those travelling to and from Bristol Airport, are advised to plan accordingly and stay informed about forthcoming traffic management measures as these essential infrastructure improvements progress.