Glastonbury traffic flow plan scrapped

Congestion is common during the Glastonbury Festival

A major scheme to improve traffic flow around Glastonbury has been scrapped due a lack of public support.

Somerset County Council submitted plans for improvements to the A39 and A361 through Glastonbury and Pilton in July.

The proposal, set to cost between £40m and £70m, was designed to relieve congestion on a major route to Glastonbury Festival.

A council spokesperson said the plans needed widespread local support to be deliverable, but did not receive it.

The road improvements were aimed at two problem junctions - the A361 at Chilkwell Street in Glastonbury and where the A361 meets Whitstone Hill in Pilton.

The scheme was designed to relieve pinch points on one of the busiest freight routes in the county, which is also a major route to Glastonbury Festival

The council said the route was not only used by heavy goods vehicles crossing the county, it also provided access to the festival site, which welcomes more than 400,000 workers and visitors.

Mike O'Dowd-Jones, the council's strategic commissioning manager for highways and transport, said in a report the Department for Transport (DfT) had asked for proof of support from residents and politicians in the area.

'Against the idea'

Mr O'Dowd-Jones said the council could not provide that, making it "highly unlikely" the scheme could proceed.

He said: "Rather than leave any uncertainty or ambiguity about the situation, it is recommended that the proposals are formally withdrawn.

"We would wish to avoid a situation where any community, individual or business interest is adversely affected due to uncertainty about whether there will be a scheme and what the potential route alignments may be."

A decision was made on Friday to withdraw the plans.

Mendip District Council published its initial proposals for a bypass around Pilton when the plans were first submitted to the government in July last year.

The majority of the feedback from Pilton residents was against the idea.

The Glastonbury scheme was one of two Somerset schemes submitted to the DfT - the other being a new bypass around the villages of Ashcott on the A39.

Mr O'Dowd-Jones said work on this scheme would continue.