A358 Taunton to Southfields

Overview

This consultation closed on the 16 July 2017. 

About this scheme

The A303/A358 corridor is the most direct main route between the south east and the south west. Tens of thousands of people use the route every day, including tourists on their way to some of the nation’s favorite holiday destinations.

But for now the road is not great at getting people from A to B. It is regularly congested and is frustrating for motorists who try to avoid tailbacks by diverting onto unsuitable local roads. This makes life hard for local communities too.

The aim is to transform the A303/A358 corridor into an expressway, a new type of strategic road which is as safe and reliable as a motorway and where ‘mile-a-minute’ journeys are the norm.

In its Road Investment Strategy, the government has identified eight separate sections of road along the A303 and A358 to Taunton where upgrades are needed, and has made funding available for the first three to get under way.

This website is about our public consultation on one of these schemes, the A358 Taunton to Southfields.

Why do we need this scheme?

The A358 between Taunton and Southfields roundabout currently comprises of a mix of dual and single lane carriageway, which leads to localised congestion, impacting adversely on journey times and journey time reliability.

We are proposing to create a dual carriageway link from the M5 near Taunton to the A303.

The proposed scheme provides a number of benefits to road users, businesses, the local community and tourists, they include:

• relieving traffic congestion on a vital link to the South West peninsula
• providing more reliable journey times
• improving safety and reducing driver stress by providing a more free-flowing network
• providing safer local access provisions for pedestrians, cyclists and other non-motorised users
• helping the local economy to grow through the creation of a modernised and reliable road that reduces delays and makes the south west more accessible for tourism and business
• supporting major development opportunities in the area south of Taunton through a proposed new junction at the M5 motorway (Junction A)
• improving the environment by reducing pollution from queuing traffic, particularly during the busy summer months

How to get involved

We are holding a public consultation on the proposed route from 28 March until 16 July 2017. This is the first stage in our consultation process.  We would like to know what you think about the route proposal.  We will listen to your views and publish a consultation report which summarises your feedback and how they will be considered to inform the detailed design stage.

View the proposed route online

All of the consultation information is available on this webpage including a brochure with a summary of the proposed route and our consultation questionnaire.

Attend a public information event

Meet the project team and view the proposed route options at the following events:

Visit a public information point

Consultation materials will be available to view from 28 March until 16 July 2017 during normal opening hours at the following places:

Documents

Through the links below you can view all of the information which will be available at our public consultation events. Please take your time to view the following:

The case for improving the A303/A358 corridor

• Creating an expressway to the South West: the case for the A303/A358 corridor

Public consultation information

• scheme brochure: this provides you with a summary of the proposals, together with information about the development of the scheme
• questionnaire: paper copies of the questionnaire will also be available at the public events, at public information points and can be requested from the project team by emailing, writing or calling us on the details listed below
• potential route option
• Technical Assessment Report
• environmental constraints map

You can view an interactive map of the A358 Taunton to Southfields route proposal