Traffic lights and bus service improvement upgrade scheduled for A38 in Taunton.
Work to replace traffic lights at the end of their working life at four key junctions on Taunton’s A38 Wellington Road starts next month.
The works involves the renewal of equipment at the four existing signal controlled junctions along the A38 in Taunton. These are the junctions with Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton College, Castle Street, and Parkfield Rd (Musgrove A&E Access).
The new signals will also include specialist bus priority technology which will speed up access through the lights for bus services along the A38 corridor, part of Somerset’s Bus Service Improvement Plan.
There’s a public drop-in session where you can meet the team and find out more on Tuesday 28 April 2026, from 3pm to 8pm, at the Quaker Meeting House, 13 Bath Place, Taunton, TA1 4EP.
Work starts at the Parkfield Road junction on 5 May, while work at Taunton College will be done during the summer holiday period, followed by the Musgrove Park Hospital, Park Road and Castle Street junctions, with all work expected to be complete by the end of 2026.
Councillor Richard Wilkins, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Waste Services said:
This is really important work to ensure these signals are fit for purpose for many years to come.
A crucial part of this work is incorporating the bus priority technology which is part of our Bus Service Improvement Plan to make bus travel a more viable option for people, as it makes it easier for buses to get along this busy corridor.
This is a major bus artery for both the Park and Ride services and the 22 services which operate via the new park and bus facility at Orchard Grove on the way to Wellington.
The team will set up traffic management at one site at a time to limit congestion and specialised Urban64 technology will be used at each junction whilst the permanent signals are being replaced. This will mirror the existing signal systems until the new equipment is in place.
There is a dedicated Public Liaison Officer, Syed Shah working on the project who can be contacted by emailing syed.shah@somerset.gov.uk.
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