BRIDGWATER residents face four months of roadworks as the new £4bn gigafactory being delivered on their doorsteps is connected up to the town’s power station.

Agratas announced in late-February that it would be constructing the gigafactory, which will produce batteries for electric vehicles at the Gravity enterprise zone between Puriton and Woolavington, just off junction 23 of the M5.

As part of the construction process, Agratas’ contractor, JSM Group Services Ltd., needs to install underground power cables connecting the Gravity site to Bridgwater’s electricity substation on the A372 Westonzoyland Road.

To achieve this, road closures will be implemented on Bower Lane and Westonzoyland Road from Monday (August 5) – the same day that roadworks will begin in the town centre to deliver the Celebration Mile.

On Bower Lane (near the Strawberry Grange housing development), a one-way system and multi-way traffic lights will be put in place to allow work to be carried out along the road in several phases.

Work will start on Monday (August 5) under traffic lights, with a one-way system being introduced between the A39 Bath Road and the hospital roundabout.

Traffic will only be able to access the hospital from the A39 Bath Road, and will need to follow a signed diversion via Whitfield Road when exiting.

On Westonzoyland Road, there will be night-time closures from 7pm to 7am daily, with a temporary speed limit and two-way traffic lights being in force at other times.

Both controls will begin on Monday (August 5), with the work on Westonzoyland Road expected to be concluded within a month.

Bower Lane will then be closed in phases between early-September and late-December.

Access will be maintained at all times for directly affected businesses and homes; however, residents should plan ahead and leave extra time for journeys, for example when travelling for hospital appointments.

Councillor Richard Wilkins, portfolio holder for transport and digital, said: “Everyone knows the huge benefits that would come with the planned facility and what it should mean for jobs and the economy, in Bridgwater and the county as a whole.

“Of course, something on this scale can’t happen without supporting infrastructure, and that means that some disruption to the network is unavoidable.

“We’ll work with Agratas to minimise this where possible, but ask for patience and  understanding.”

Further work will be needed in Bridgwater later in the year to complete the electricity connection, which is an essential part of the preparation work for the planned facility.

Once completed and operational, the gigafactory is expected to create around 4,000 direct jobs and many more in the supply chain.

A spokesperson for Agratas said: “Our multi-billion-pound facility will bring state-of-the-art sustainable battery cell technology to Somerset, bringing with it ground-breaking opportunities for positive change for the regional economy.

“To power our facility, we’re working with Somerset Council to build a new underground power supply.

“As with every construction project of this scale, there will be some temporary disruption to local roads, which is why we’re doing everything we can to minimise the impact on traffic and the community.”

For more information on these and other roadworks in your area, visit www.somerset.gov.uk/roads-travel-and-parking/roadworks-and-travel.