DRIVERS using the newly-dualled stretch of the A303 through Somerset can expect ‘smoother journeys’, according to National Highways.

The upgrade of the A303 between Sparkford to Ilchester is nearing completion, with the dualled stretch now fully open to drivers.

The multi-million-pound scheme has seen a 3.5-mile section of single carriageway upgraded to dual carriageway, which the authority said “will help to promote economic growth, improve journey times, and increase safety by unlocking a major bottleneck in the county”.

It also aims to cut congestion during the school holidays and for commuters.

The project has seen National Highways:
Upgrade 3.5 miles of existing single carriageway to dual carriageway
Build three new junctions at Camel Cross, Downhead and Hazlegrove
Build two new structures – a bridge at Steart Hill and an underpass at Hazlegrove
Excavate and redistribute 900,000m3 of earth and soil to create cuttings up to 10m in depth and embankments up to 12m in height to provide a level route for the new road
Plant 89 individual native trees and create four hectares of woodland and linear belts of trees
Plant more than six miles of new hedgerow

Siân Hopkins, National Highways’ senior project manager, said: “The whole team has worked incredibly hard to move the scheme forward and achieve the opening of the new stretch of A303 this November, overcoming a number of challenges along the way.

“This will make a significant and positive difference to the journeys of visitors, local communities, and businesses – this year and into the future.

“I would like to thank everyone in Somerset for their patience and support since construction of the project started back in 2021.

“It’s a terrific achievement for all involved, motorists and residents will benefit from shorter journey times and improved access.

“The scheme will unlock greater mobility and be a catalyst for growth throughout the region.”

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Glennan Blackmore, MD for Galliford Try Infrastructure, added: “We are delighted to have completed this vital new piece of infrastructure on behalf of National Highways that will make such a difference to the lives of local people in the region.

“The A303 has been a considerable undertaking for our team and our stakeholders, which has delivered not only a high-quality finished project, but also added significant social value to the local community along the way, and I commend all those involved for their success.”

However, more work on the scheme is happening at night to finish the central reservation of the new road, local accesses, side roads and the surrounding landscape, with the project to be fully complete early in 2025.

MP Sarah Dyke (Lib Dem, Glastonbury and Somerton) said: “I’m pleased to see these upgrades are now complete.

“A safer and less congested A303 will benefit both people living in Glastonbury and Somerton and the millions of tourists who visit the West Country each year alike, and I look forward to seeing many of those tourists stopping and spending time in Somerset – the gateway to the south west.

“Good transport links are a vital step to encourage new investment into Somerset to support our local economy, businesses, and communities.”

Somerset Council’s lead member for transport and waste services, Cllr Richard Wilkins, said: “Somerset Council and our predecessor authorities have long advocated for this improvement. It’s a vital transport artery for the region and this is a massive step forward for Somerset and the South West.”

David Crew, MD of Somerset Chamber of Commerce, said the work was “vital”.

“Somerset is home to a wide range of businesses and good transport links are vital to ensure they can trade on a level playing field with their more urban counterparts,” he said.

“Dualling this section of the A303 between Sparkford and Ilchester is to be welcomed as it will help to ensure a greater flow of traffic, result in fewer delays and, therefore, costs to businesses and make it easier for firms to access a wider supply chain.”

And Giles Adams, chair of the Visit Somerset group, added: “Visit Somerset very much welcomes the remarkable improvements to the A303 between Sparkford and Ilchester.

“We are very appreciative to the local communities and businesses that have worked around the development period and now look forward to the route helping deliver improved travel experiences and economic benefit for the important visitor economy in Somerset.”

National Highways said as well as aiming to improve journeys in the area, the scheme would leaving a lasting legacy for the community, including:
More than £55,000-worth of funding to local communities through the Social Value Fund
Secured new basketball hoops for Charlton playing fields, allotment equipment for Trent Young’s Primary School and camping equipment for Camelot Harriers Explorers

And on-site archaeologists have also helped chart the history of the area, including discovering a selection of artefacts, such as:
A copper alloy brooch, decorated with enamel-filled lozenges, dating back to between AD 60–150
Worked bone point which could have been used as a pin, skewer, weaving shuttle or pin beater for textile manufacture
Mesolithic chert and flint tools
Neolithic flint knives and charred plant remains from Neolithic pits