MOTORISTS in Bridgwater town centre face months of disruption during work on a major regeneration scheme.

The Celebration Mile from Bridgwater Station on Wellington Road to the Northgate Docks via the town centre and Northgate Yard is being enhanced through numerous projects within the Bridgwater town deal.

Plans to deliver three separate sections have been approved by Sedgemoor District Council, allowing construction to begin by next summer.

Somerset County Council will be upgrading the junction of the A38 Broadway with Eastover and the A372 St John’s Street as part of its £11.6million traffic signals upgrade programme.

The upgrade will replace the existing traffic lights at the junction of Broadway and St. John’s Street, which are nearing the end of their service life.

The existing zebra crossing near Blake Place is being replaced with new puffin crossings, and a new parallel crossing will also be created on Broadway to allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross the busy road more quickly.

A significant section of Broadway will also be resurfaced, along with Monmouth Street, the western end of St. John’s Street and the junction with Salmon Parade.

Work will commence on January 15 and could last until the summer, with motorists being advised to expect disruption during peak times.

The council has said it will work alongside Virgin Media, which also needs to undertake work in the area, to ensure the two sets of roadworks run concurrently and therefore reduce the length of the disruption.

The Celebration Mile is designed to create a pedestrian- and cycle-friendly route through the town centre, allowing both residents and visitors to safely access the town centre without using motor vehicles.

The district council’s development committee has green-lit plans to deliver three key sections of the route at a cost of £9million:

  • The eastern end of Clare Street, including its connections with Castle Moat, King Square and York Buildings;
  • The entirety of Eastover, East Quay, Salmon Parade and Town Bridge;
  • The entirety of Angel Crescent, linking Clare Street to the Northgate Yard regeneration site.

The district council is expected to appoint its chosen contractor in the next two months, allowing construction on the three approved sections to commence in the late-spring or early-summer.

A separate £5million scheme to revitalise the Northgate Docks, also within the town deal, is expected to begin being delivered from April 2024, once planning permission has been secured.