Vital road repairs scheduled for Taunton and Wellington

Essential road repairs planned for Taunton and Wellington to improve safety and reduce disruption ahead of winter weather

Somerset Council will be resurfacing roads in and around Taunton and Wellington in the New Year in a rolling programme scheduled to last until March 2026.

The work is being done to improve the condition of the roads and the finished surface will look better and be safer to drive on with less risk of safety defects developing, such as potholes.

All surfacing works will take place in the evenings or overnight. Before the surfacing of Priorswood roundabout there will be temporary signals in place during the day while drainage works are undertaken.

Night-time working will minimise impact on businesses – if access is required at a specific time those affected should speak to representatives on site.

Work is due to start on Monday, 5 January, at 6.30pm on Wellington Roundabout. From the beginning of February, work will move to Taunton town centre to avoid conflict with National Highways work on the M5. The aim is for all work to completed by the end of March 2026.

The dates on the programme do overlap by design. This is to provide some flexibility in case of better – or slower – progress. Given the time of year, there could be delays due to the weather. Only one road will be closed at a time and the Council will keep people informed and up to date with on-site signage and via social media.

Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout – there may be some restrictions or delays for vehicle access at times to some properties and residents should liaise with the site team on this. They can also contact the Council on 0300 123 2224.

Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Waste Services, Councillor Richard Wilkins, said:

This is an extensive programme of work to improve road surfaces in 2 important Somerset towns. As always, the team will do their best to get the work completed as quickly and efficiently as possible – please do liaise with them if you are a resident and need to raise any issues around access.

We are grateful to residents for their support and understanding while this resurfacing work is done.

The programme is as follows – timings could be affected by winter weather. Dates overlap to allow flexibility in the programme, however only 1 road will be closed at a time. Timings indicate closures:

  • A38 West Park roundabout to Chelston roundabout: 5 January to  3 February, from 6.30pm to 11.30pm
  • Fore Street – Corporation Street – Castle Way, Taunton: 21 January to 3 February, from 6.30pm to 11.30pm
  • Hammet Street, Taunton: 26 January to 18 February 6.30pm to 11.30pm
  • Canal roundabout, Bridgwater Lane and Hyde Lane roundabout / Langaller Way: 5 to 18 February, from 6.30pm to 11.30pm
  • A358 Priorswood roundabout and A359 Priorswood Road, Taunton: 16 to 20 February – temporary traffic signals
  • A358 Priorswood roundabout and A359 Priorswood Road, Taunton: 24 February to 4 March,  from 6.30pm to 11.30pm
  • A38 Rumwell to Chelston: 25 February to 10 March from 6.30pm to 7am (until 11.30pm in residential areas)
  • A38 Wellington New Road roundabout, Stonegallows – Wellington New Road: 4 to 23 March, from 6.30pm to 11.30pm
  • A38 Cann Street and A3027 Park Street, Taunton: 10 to 30 March, from 6.30pm to 11.30pm

If you spot a problem on the road you can report it quickly and easily via the Council’s Report a problem on the road webpage.

Follow @TravelSomerset on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook for live travel updates, roadworks and other highways news.

FAQs

Overview

A: We are conducting extensive resurfacing of high traffic areas in Taunton including the A38 to Wellington to improve the condition of the carriageway. The finished surface will look better and be safer to drive on with less risk of safety defects developing (potholes).
A: Please see the map. We will be resurfacing from the Wellington Roundabouts, along the A38 to Taunton including Rumwell, Wellington New Road, Silk Mills Roundabout, Park and Cann Street, Corporation Street, Hammet Street, East Reach, also Priorswood Roundabout and some works on Langaller Way.
A: We will not be resurfacing the Worlds End Junction on the A38. This is due to an upcoming safety scheme to look at the junctions. We may return to resurface this section at a later date.

We will also not be resurfacing outside Bridgwater and Taunton College on the A38. This section is due to have works in the next few years by Wales and West Utilities and our own Traffic Signal Refurbishment programme.

We try to avoid having excavations in newly resurfaced roads and so we will return to complete these sections once the other works have taken place.

There is also a small section outside Blackdown Garden Centre which has recently been resurfaced following private works.

Traffic management

A: Due to nature of the works, the size of the machinery and number of operatives, and ensuring the safety of both workforce and the public, a road closure is required. The exception being Priorswood roundabout where drainage works will also involve 24hr temporary traffic signals.

Closure points will be manned by trained operatives while works are in place.

A: The works do not involve any planned daytime closures.
A: There will be a separate diversion for non-motorway traffic.

Timing and phasing


A: You can view a table of Vital road repairs scheduled for Taunton and Wellington here.

Works will be starting Monday, 5 January, at 6.30pm on Wellington Roundabout. From the beginning of February, we will then be working in Taunton Town Centre where our works will not impact the M5 diversion. We aim to have all works completed by the end of March 2026.

Works will be taking place either in the evening or overnight with the highway clear during the day and at weekends.

The exception being Priorswood Roundabout where we are also undertaking drainage works. These require 24-hour temporary traffic signals which will be manually controlled at peak times. To reduce delays at red times and help the flow of traffic, we will be closing off the northern leg of the roundabout.

The dates on the programme overlap by design. This is to provide some flexibility in case of better or poorer progress. Given the time of year, we do need to take into account delays for weather. Only one road will be closed at a time, and we will keep the public informed with on-site signage and via social media.

A: We have been in close contact with National Highways to ensure that our respective programmes are compatible. The M5 will not be closed at the same time as the A38. They are aware of our works programme, and we will be having regular catch ups while works are underway.

At most, while the A38 is closed, there will be narrow lanes and a speed restriction on the M5. The capacity of the M5 will be unchanged.

Access and impact on businesses and residents

A: Pedestrian access will not be affected. Vehicular access will be maintained wherever possible. However there may be delays if plant and machinery are working directly outside a property. Also, if material has just been laid as this needs time to cure. If vehicular access is required at specific times residents will need to speak to the representatives on site and at the closure points.

A: Yes. Where appropriate “Businesses open as usual” will be used. Due to the hours of works, the impact on businesses and their deliveries will be at a minimum. If access is required at a specific time, please speak to representatives on site.
A: If possible, bus access will be maintained, however this is not guaranteed. Due to the nature of the works and to ensure the safety of both public and the crew, a road closure is required. Clearing sites for buses can cause substantial delays while material, equipment and personnel are moved out of the way. It can also impact the quality of the new surface if traffic (especially heavy) is allowed to travel across before it has fully cured.
A: The blue light services are informed of all closures as standard. Should they need access this will of course be provided.
A: Should there be an incident on the M5, we will reopen the A38 diversion route as soon as is practicable. National Highways regularly contact council officers if there is an incident. As previously stated, we will be having regular catch ups with National Highways and this will include exchanging contact details for on-site supervisors in the event of an issue.

Environmental and sustainability considerations


A: This scheme is being undertaken as part of the Live Labs 2 initiative, which is the work of the Association of Directors for the Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (Adept). Live Labs 2 is a 3-year, £30 million, UK-wide programme funded by the Department for Transport that will run until March 2026, with a 5-year subsequent, extended monitoring and evaluation period. Live Labs 2 concentrates on how to decarbonise local highways infrastructure and assets.

Communication and updates

A: Prior to the works, there will be advanced signage on site advising when they are due to start. These will be supported by large electronic VMS (Variable Message Signs).
A: The best source for live updates is one.network. This is a free, online service, but you may need to register to view further than 2 weeks in advance. For more information, visit our Roadworks and travel information page.

Other concerns

A: The works are funded by several sources. The Live Labs project provides funding for highway works that lower carbon emissions. The remainder of the works are either funded directly or from the Department for Transport (DfT).
A bulldozer works on a road surface

About this article

December 5, 2025

Debbie Rundle

Press Release

Travel