Dunball roundabout upgrade delayed until 2023

The project was originally included as one of 11 projects within the Bridgwater town deal to regenerate the town centre

A £5.2m scheme to upgrade a Somerset roundabout as part of a town's regeneration project has been delayed until next year, a council has said.

Work on the Dunball roundabout, which will link Bridgwater to J23 of the M5, is expected to ease congestion.

The county council said construction will not start in September but may begin early in 2023, according to The Local Democracy Reporting Service.

New pedestrian and cycling links to the town centre are also being delivered.

The proposal involves building a new road through the centre of the roundabout, which will directly connect the A38 with the motorway junction.

It will allow traffic to move straight across and free up space for other drivers while also unlocking land for housing and employment.

The above image shows how the new Dunball roundabout in Bridgwater could look

Scheme funding

• Up to £2.3m will come from Sedgemoor District Council

• £400,000 will come from the Bridgwater town deal

• £250,000 will be contributed by National Highways

• £137,000 has been allocated from the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)

Councillor John Woodman, the county council's cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "This is a very busy roundabout where there can sometimes be significant delays for road users during peak times and it is also very difficult to access for pedestrians and cyclists.

"This project has been made possible in part through our successful levelling up bid and we're grateful the government recognises its importance."