Work finally under way on £135m A303 upgrade

CONSTRUCTION work has officially begun on a £135 million project to dual the A303 through Somerset.

National Highways (formerly Highways England) was granted permission by the Department for Transport in late January to dual the single carriageway stretch between the Podimore and Sparkford roundabouts.

Local MPs Marcus Fysh (Yeovil) and David Warburton (Somerton and Frome) were present yesterday for an official tour of the construction site as work finally got under way after decades of campaigning.

The new road is expected to be open to the public by early 2024.

Roads Minister Baroness Vere said: “This is a fantastic moment for the South West as work gets under way.”

Programme manager, Hannah Sanderson, said: “The three new miles of dual carriageway will support economic growth and facilitate a growth in jobs and housing by creating a free-flowing and reliable connection between the South East and South West. It will also tackle a longstanding bottleneck, reduce journey times to the South West and improve traffic flows in that area at peak times and during peak seasons.”

Councillor David Hall, Somerset County Council’s cabinet member for economic development, said: “It’s really satisfying to see work commence on this vital scheme, which is so important for Somerset’s economy and future growth.”

The scheme is one of three connected projects designed to provide an unbroken dual carriageway link between the M3 and the M5.

National Highways is about to begin a fresh round of public consultation on its £328m scheme to dual the A358 between Taunton and Ilminster, aiming for submission of plans in the new year.

The other scheme – involving the A303 at Stonehenge – is proceeding through its early stages despite a successful legal challenge by campaigners.