Brilliant news this week that full dual carriageway technical design options are getting under way for the section of A303 dualling that will replace the Ilminster Bypass. Everyone knows how dangerous that stretch of road has been, andgetting this done has been one of my key priorities as MP. It is gratifying therefore that National Highways have agreed with me that for safety, congestion and economic development reasons work on this section should be the next step in the whole A303 / A358 road corridor dualling.
National Highways visited my constituency surgery last Friday to brief me and discuss the details of the latest plans and schedules within the A303 corridor dualling project. Many will have seen the works ongoing in the first section that was started at Sparkford to Ilchester and I am happy to report these are progressing on time to finish next year.
The decision to grant development consent for the Stonehenge tunnel dualled section development should also return soon for “redetermination” so that works can get underway, and I am seeking precise timescales for that. The other section in the first phase of dualling works - the A358 section between Taunton and Southfields at Ilminster - will also progress to development consent decision as soon as National Highways have completed further environmental checks in particular with respect to the biodiversity preservation plans within the scheme.
Looking after protected species is a big part of the technical thinking as we are blessed in our part of the world with amazing biodiversity and important populations for example of rare bats. I have suggested we get local schools and colleges involved in experiencing and celebrating the work to rehome some of these populations, for example in nearby ancient woodlands.
It has always made most sense to me that the Ilminster Bypass full dual carriageway works should flow on from the A358 section at Southfields, as traffic could once that was done flow smoothly on dual carriageway all the way from Wincanton and the Yeovil area to Taunton, Exeter Bridgwater, Bristol and beyond. That has to be great for economic opportunity, growth and jobs locally, and it will be ensured also by full grade separation of the roundabouts at Southfields and South Petherton.
I look forward to engaging with residents to ensure their voices are fully heard during the design consultation process and that local issues are fully understood and taken into account as far as possible. I have made it clear to National Highways - and it was good to hear that they are positive toward the idea - that the dualling should be used as an opportunity to reduce noise effects from the road that we know have affected residents close to this section for a long time now.
It also makes sense financially for the works teams that are stood up locally for the first section to move on as seamlessly as possible to the new project section. That will give maximum opportunity for local skills development and local businesses’ contribution to the project and involvement in construction and engineering industries more widely.
Full dualling of the Ilminster Bypass will of course be expensive, so I will be lobbying throughout to keep the economic necessity of this part of the project for our part of Somerset and beyond clear in Ministers’ minds.