A38 Road Upgrades: £26m Approved near Bristol Airport 2026

Key Points

• Funding Approval: The Department for Transport (DfT) has formally approved the business case for a £26 million investment project on the A38 route.
• Geographical Area: The scheme covers nine different sites along a route starting from the Barrow Tanks (Barrow Street junction) in North Somerset and finishing at the Edithmead Roundabout (M5 Junction 22) in Somerset.
• Infrastructure Improvements: Major projects will include conversion of the Edithmead Roundabout to signalised “through-about”, road widening adjacent to Bristol Airport, bus lanes provision, and active travel improvements for cyclists and pedestrians.
• Delivery Partners: The project will be implemented by Somerset Council and North Somerset Council, with the help of contractors Centregreat and Octavius who will be responsible for the construction.
• Construction Timeline: The construction works in Somerset Council’s area are expected to start in January 2026, after public consultation events.

West of England (Bristol Express News) November 9, 2026 —A major transport artery into the South West is set for significant disruption as a £26 million infrastructure package receives final government approval. Jointly managed by Somerset Council and North Somerset Council, the project will overhaul nine sites along the A38 between Barrow Tanks and M5 Junction 22 at Edithmead. Works include junction overhauls, dedicated bus lanes, carriageway widening near Bristol Airport, and safer active travel paths, with initial construction scheduled to begin in January 2026.

Why has the £26m A38 improvement scheme been approved?

As reported by Rosie Burgess of the West London Times, drivers travelling through the South West face upcoming road disruption following the formal approval of a £26 million upgrade scheme for the A38 corridor. The Department for Transport (DfT) granted full business case approval for the extensive package, which aims to improve journey reliability, boost safety, and expand sustainable transport options across a critical link connecting Somerset and North Somerset.

Roads Minister Justin Madders confirmed the central funding commitment, highlighting the multi-modal benefits planned for the corridor. According to Madders:

“Through this funding, journeys will be more reliable, with less congestion and safer for pedestrians and cyclists through wider paths and new crossings.”

The A38 serves as a vital strategic route for regional traffic, commuting vehicles, and airport transport. However, peak-time tailbacks and junction bottlenecks—particularly around key motorway connections and airport access points—have long impacted transport efficiency and local communities.

Which specific sites along the A38 will undergo upgrades?

The approved investment addresses nine targeted locations along the A38, spanning from the Barrow Street junction near Barrow Tanks in North Somerset down to the Edithmead Roundabout at M5 Junction 22 in Somerset. The multi-site approach distributes infrastructure changes across both council areas.

What changes are scheduled for the Somerset Council area?

Four of the nine upgrade schemes fall within the jurisdiction of Somerset Council. Construction in this section is scheduled to begin in January 2026.

• Edithmead Roundabout (M5 Junction 22): The major flagship alteration converts the existing junction into a signalised “through-about”. Traffic signals will control movement while routing heavy traffic flows through the centre of the roundabout. The design introduces wider circulatory lanes, additional approach lanes, a direct right-turn lane from M5 J22 to the A38 northbound, and a signalised cycle crossing over the B3140 via an enlarged splitter island.
• Rooksbridge: Targeted road safety enhancements, primarily consisting of revised road markings and alignment warnings.
• Cross: Reconfiguration of the existing junction into a safer staggered layout.
• Strawberry Line Crossing: Safety and visibility upgrades where the traffic-free Strawberry Line active travel path intersects the A38, including enhanced signage and signals to protect cyclists and pedestrians.

As confirmed by Marc Hobbins of Highways & Construction, contractor Centregreat has been appointed to deliver the Edithmead Roundabout project, building on its prior delivery of the £10.7 million Dunball Roundabout scheme. Other Somerset schemes will be executed by infrastructure delivery partner Octavius.

What upgrades are planned within North Somerset?

North Somerset Council oversees the remaining five project sites, focusing heavily on highway capacity, public transport efficiency, and active travel routes.

• Bristol Airport Corridor (Airport Roundabout to West Lane): Carriageway widening to provide two continuous traffic lanes in each direction. Signal controls will be installed at the Downside Road and West Lane junctions alongside a dedicated signalised pedestrian/cycle crossing.
• Airport Terminal Approach: Introduction of a dedicated left-turn lane for vehicles entering Bristol Airport, alongside two dedicated ahead lanes on the northbound approach.
• Silver Zone Bus Lane: Construction of a dedicated northbound bus lane between the Airport Terminal Roundabout and the Silver Zone Roundabout, paired with a new shared-use walking and cycling path.
• Barrow Tanks Link (Barrow Lane/Hobbs Lane to Dial Lane): Creation of an extended shared-use active travel path utilizing existing verge and footway space along the northern side of the A38.
• Langford to Churchill Gate: Carriageway narrowing and kerb realignment between the B3133 Langford Road junction and the A368 Churchill Gate crossroads to establish a continuous shared-use path. Footway widening and drainage upgrades will also take place between Sidcot Lane and the Hillyfields junction.

How have local council leaders responded to the government funding?

Civic leaders across both local authorities welcomed the confirmation of central funding, noting that the project represents years of technical preparation and regional collaboration.

As reported by Marc Hobbins, Councillor Richard Wilkins, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Highways and Transport, stated:

“This is great news for Somerset and the wider region; the A38 is a critical transport artery and we have worked hard with colleagues at North Somerset over a number of years to secure the vital Government funding to make these improvements a reality. The work at Edithmead will deliver increased capacity to allow for further economic and residential growth whilst helping to prevent queueing at peak times on the M5.”

Reinforcing the sustainable travel benefits, Councillor Mike Bell, Leader of North Somerset Council, added:

“Not only will the A38 project improve capacity on our roads, making journeys smoother, safer and more reliable, but the project also includes sustainable options for getting around such as the widening of walking and cycling paths and improvements to the existing crossings for the Strawberry Line.”

Before physical work begins on the Somerset sites in January 2026, Somerset Council plans to host a series of public drop-in sessions to present detailed traffic management plans to local residents and commercial operators.

Background of the A38 Improvement Scheme

The A38 is one of the United Kingdom’s longest and historically significant trunk roads, spanning 292 miles from Cornwall through the South West and Midlands up to Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. Historically serving as the primary trunk route connecting Plymouth, Exeter, Bristol, and Birmingham, large volumes of long-distance traffic shifted to the M5 motorway following its construction through Somerset during the 1970s.

Despite the M5’s presence, the single-carriageway sections of the A38 between Bridgwater and Bristol have remained heavily used feeder routes. Rapid commercial expansion at Bristol Airport, paired with steady residential housing growth in North Somerset and Sedgemoor, has significantly increased daily traffic density over the last two decades.

The corridor has experienced regular congestion points, most acutely at the Edithmead Roundabout (M5 Junction 22), where peak-hour queues frequently tail back onto the motorway main carriageway, raising severe safety concerns. Furthermore, narrow footways and lack of dedicated infrastructure along the A38 created major barriers for local bus transit, cyclists on the Strawberry Line, and pedestrians moving between rural communities. In response, Somerset and North Somerset Councils formed a joint Major Road Network (MRN) partnership to submit a comprehensive business case to the Department for Transport, securing the £26 million funding package.

How Will This Development Affect Key Audiences?

The rollout of the £26 million A38 corridor upgrade package will bring distinct operational, economic, and daily mobility impacts across several key stakeholder groups:

1. Commuters and Regional Motorists

In the short term, drivers utilizing the A38 between Barrow Gurney and Burnham-on-Sea will experience localized traffic delays, lane closures, and temporary speed restrictions during the phased construction period starting in January 2026. However, upon completion, motorists will benefit from significantly reduced queue times at M5 Junction 22 due to the high-capacity “through-about” layout. Dual-lane widening around Bristol Airport will also smooth out bottleneck points, improving everyday journey reliability.

2. Passengers and Freight Traffic to Bristol Airport

Travelers heading to Bristol Airport will experience direct travel time improvements via dedicated approach lanes at terminal roundabouts. Freight and logistics operators serving the airport complex will face reduced congestion risk, supporting tighter delivery schedules and improved regional connectivity.

3. Pedestrians, Cyclists, and Public Transport Users

Active travel users will see a structural upgrade in safety and accessibility. Continuous shared-use paths along rural stretches, signalised crossings at high-risk junctions, and protected passage across the Strawberry Line will encourage non-motorised travel between local villages. Additionally, the dedicated northbound bus lane near the airport will enhance bus schedule adherence, offering a more reliable alternative to car travel.

4. Local Businesses and Regional Housing Developers

By unlocking highway capacity at key motorway gates, the upgraded corridor creates the infrastructure foundation required to support planned commercial developments and new residential housing allocations in Somerset and North Somerset without overwhelming the existing road network.