A38 M5 Junction Upgrade to Impact Bristol Airport Traffic: Somerset 2026

Key Points

• Project Launch Confirmed: Somerset Council and North Somerset Council have finalised the start date for a year-long roadworks project near the M5 motorway.
• Core Development: The scheme will transform the existing roundabout on the A38 into a modern ‘throughabout’ to streamline traffic flow.
• Broader Initiative: The upgrade forms a central component of a £18 million infrastructure improvement plan targeting the key arterial route between the M5 and Bristol Airport.
• Primary Objectives: The multi-million-pound investment aims to shorten journey times, significantly reduce traffic congestion, and enhance overall road safety.
• Impacted Stakeholders: High volumes of daily commuters, freight operators, local residents, and passengers travelling to and from Bristol Airport face major travel delays during the construction phase.

Bristol (Bristol Express) August 28, 2026 — Commuters and air travellers across the South West face a year of potential travel disruption following official confirmation that a major £18 million infrastructure scheme near the M5 motorway is set to begin. Somerset Council, in joint partnership with North Somerset Council, has formally announced the start date for the year-long reconfiguration of a critical A38 junction. The extensive engineering project will convert the existing conventional roundabout into a high-capacity ‘throughabout’ designed to relieve chronic gridlock, enhance road safety, and accelerate journey times along the primary corridor connecting the M5 to Bristol Airport.

Why Is the A38 Infrastructure Scheme Being Implemented Now?

The A38 corridor serves as a crucial transportation spine for the region, carrying tens of thousands of vehicles daily. Over recent years, rapid commercial growth, increased passenger traffic heading to Bristol Airport, and rising regional commuting volumes have pushed the current road layout well beyond its original design capacity. Peak-hour traffic regularly leads to severe tailbacks stretching towards the M5, creating unpredictable delays for travellers and economic bottlenecks for local logistics networks.

To address these escalating issues, Somerset Council collaborated with neighbouring North Somerset Council to formulate a comprehensive structural intervention. Transport planners identified the key A38 junction as the primary structural bottleneck along the route. By redesigning the junction, local authorities intend to future-proof the regional transport network against anticipated population growth and rising airport usage over the next decade.

How Will the New ‘Throughabout’ System Function?

A ‘throughabout’—also referred to as a signalised cut-through roundabout—differs structurally from a standard junction layout. Under the new design, the main line of traffic along the A38 will pass directly through the centre of the roundabout via a dedicated, traffic-light-controlled roadway.

Vehicles continuing straight along the primary route will no longer need to navigate the outer ring of the roundabout. Meanwhile, drivers turning onto secondary side roads or making turning maneuvers will continue to use the outer roundabout lanes, governed by coordinated traffic signals. Transport engineers anticipate that this separation of straight-through traffic from turning traffic will drastically increase vehicle throughput and prevent queue build-up during peak travel windows.

What Extent of Traffic Disruption Is Expected During Construction?

Given the scale of the civil engineering works involved, a continuous 12-month construction timetable has been established. The year-long duration of the project necessitates temporary lane closures, speed reductions, and altered traffic management layouts throughout the development zone.

Motorists travelling to Bristol Airport are being advised to build substantial extra time into their travel plans to avoid missing flight departures. Transport authorities acknowledge that while long-term congestion relief is the final objective, the short-term impact will inevitably result in localized delays, particularly during summer holiday periods and morning rush hours.

Background of the A38 and M5 Junction Development

The funding and approval process for the £18 million transport infrastructure package represents the culmination of multi-year cross-boundary coordination between local governments and regional transport boards. Historically, the arterial routes surrounding Bristol Airport have faced significant funding challenges due to complex land management oversight divided across different council authorities.

Following extensive traffic surveys and public consultation exercises conducted across Somerset and North Somerset, central government transport initiatives allocated dedicated funding to resolve regional infrastructure bottlenecks. The A38 scheme was prioritized due to its status as the principal non-motorway access route for international travel and freight transport in the West of England. Previous minor upgrades along the route provided short-term relief, but escalating vehicle numbers ultimately required a complete structural overhaul of the junction architecture.

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How Will This Development Affect Local Residents, Commuters, and Airport Passengers?

The execution of this year-long roadworks scheme and the eventual opening of the ‘throughabout’ will have distinct impacts across several key groups:

• Bristol Airport Passengers and Flight Crews: During the 12-month construction phase, airline passengers face unpredictable transit times along the main southbound and northbound approaches. Missed flights and heightened travel anxiety represent immediate risks unless passengers adjust departure times significantly earlier. Once operational, however, the throughabout should deliver far more predictable journey times to terminals.
• Daily Commuters and Local Bus Services: Regional workers travelling daily between Somerset communities, North Somerset, and Bristol will experience immediate secondary congestion as traffic diverts onto surrounding rural roads. Public bus operators along the A38 corridor may need to alter timetables to maintain service reliability during the works.
• Freight and Commercial Logistics: Transport companies relying on the M5-to-A38 corridor for movement of goods will see elevated operational costs due to idle engine time and delayed deliveries during peak construction phases. Long term, the increased junction capacity will lower transport overheads by streamlining freight movement to regional hubs.
• Nearby Communities and Businesses: Residents living along detour routes are likely to experience temporary surges in traffic volume, noise, and localized congestion. Conversely, roadside businesses immediately adjacent to the upgraded junction will eventually benefit from improved access and smoother customer entry once all traffic management measures are lifted.