DRIVERS who travel around the Bridgwater area will face months of “painful” roadworks from mid-November as the upgrade of a vital roundabout near the M5 gets under way.

Somerset Council confirmed in early-October that the long-awaited upgrade of the Dunball roundabout, which links junction 23 of the M5 to the A38 Bristol Road into the town centre, would finally begin on November 11.

The £10.7m scheme is being predominantly funded by the government’s levelling up fund, with contributions from the Bridgwater town deal, housing developers and National Highways.

The upgrade will coincide with two other major sets of roadworks in the wider Bridgwater area – namely the delivery of the Celebration Mile in the town centre and power supply improvements to the Gravity site.

Councillor Richard Wilkins, portfolio holder for transport and waste services, admitted that the experience would be “very painful” for motorists – but added that on completion “the benefits will speak for themselves” and lead to more investment in the town.

Mr Wilkins (who represents the Curry Rivel and Langport division) made his comments at a public drop-in event staged at Puriton Village Hall on Wednesday, October 23.

He said: “It’s going to be really painful, there’s no two ways about it. But once it’s delivered, the benefits will speak for themselves.

“It will make the whole road system of Bridgwater work so much better, and people will start to see the benefits of the investment that’s going to be brought in because of this.”

The new design of the roundabout will allow for faster journeys out of the town towards junction 23 of the M5 via the ‘throughabout’ lanes, making it easier for Bridgwater residents to commute to and from the new gigafactory.

New walking and cycling links will also be installed around the roundabout, including two new toucan crossings – one immediately north of the roundabout and one near the junction with Downend.

This connection will deliver a further section of the ‘purple route’ within the Bridgwater local cycling and walking infrastructure plan (LCWIP), making it easier to walk or cycle between the town centre and the Gravity site via the Express Park and the existing footbridge over the M5.

As part of the Dunball roundabout upgrade, three sets of overnight closures will be required on the A39 between Dunball and junction 23 of the M5.

The council has now confirmed that these closures will be in place from January 6 to 10, February 10 to 14 and March 3 to 14.

During these times, motorists can still use junction 23 to leave the M5 but will be diverted along the A39 Puriton Hill eastbound towards Knowle and enter the town via the A39 Bath Road and the Cross Rifles roundabout.

These three sets of closures are being spread out to accommodate two sets of other roadworks on the A39 being carried out by Agratas – power upgrades on Bath Road, which will conclude on December 19, and additional upgrades on Puriton Hill, which will run from January 11 to February 9.