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The Irish Sun
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Drivers warned ‘plan ahead' as major motorway junction used by thousands everyday closes for 14 WEEKS
DRIVERS have been urged to check their routes ahead of time to avoid serious delays as a major motorway junction closes for 14 weeks. The busy junction which sees a traffic of thousands everyday will be shut for a £5.7 million upgrade, with residents predicting "chaos" on surrounding roads. 1 Drivers warned 'plan ahead' as the J26 of the M5 and the A38 Chelston link road near Wellington, Somerset used by thousands everyday closes for 14 weeks Credit: Somerset council Junction 26 of the M5 and the A38 Chelston link road near Wellington, Somerset will be closed from Sunday evening, June 15 until September. An official diversion route will direct motorists off the M5 either at Junction 26 (Taunton) or 27 (Tiverton) and along the A38. Wellington local, Sian Hughes, told BBC Radio Somerset: "All of the traffic will have to come off at Junction 25 or Junction 27 especially at Taunton so it will cause chaos on the A38. "I'm just going to have to leave earlier and hopefully I won't have to travel too far. Read more in UK roads "My husband Rob is a driving instructor so it will really affect his lesson times." The Falcon bus service from Exeter up to Bristol Airport will not stop at Junction 26 Wellington while the closure is in place. Somerset Council said that the project will refurbish an over-50-year-old road and bring the aging route up to modern standards. Julie Bishop, another Wellington resident, told the BBC: "It is going to affect everyone who needs to get in or out of Wellington and West Buckland. Most read in Motors "The failure to coordinate with ongoing roadworks in Taunton is just inexcusable." Jez Harvey said: "Look on the positive side, at least we will have a motorway slip road with lovely smooth tarmac and proper drainage never to be under water again." Lead Member for Transport and Waste Services, Councillor Richard Wilkins said: "When completed we will have a new, smoother, quieter road surface with better drainage so please bear with us and plan your journey carefully while work is underway." World's biggest crash test with real people filmed on Scots military base Jonathan Hill, National Highways route manager for the M5 in Somerset urged motorists "to plan ahead accordingly". He said: "From a National Highways point of view we were looking at capacity at J25 (Taunton) and J27 (Tiverton) that it wasn't backing onto the M5 and will monitor it." Closure dates for J25 of the M5 and A38 Chelston link road J25 of the M5 and A38 Chelston link road will be closed from June 15 evening to September. An official diversion route will direct motorists off the M5 either at Junction 26 (Taunton) or 27 (Tiverton) and along the A38.
Scottish Sun
13-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
Drivers warned ‘plan ahead' as major motorway junction used by thousands everyday closes for 14 WEEKS
Residents have predicted that the works will cause "chaos" for those traveling through the popular area TOUGH RIDE Drivers warned 'plan ahead' as major motorway junction used by thousands everyday closes for 14 WEEKS – check your route Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DRIVERS have been urged to check their routes ahead of time to avoid serious delays as a major motorway junction closes for 14 weeks. The busy junction which sees a traffic of thousands everyday will be shut for a £5.7 million upgrade, with residents predicting "chaos" on surrounding roads. 1 Drivers warned 'plan ahead' as the J26 of the M5 and the A38 Chelston link road near Wellington, Somerset used by thousands everyday closes for 14 weeks Credit: Somerset council Junction 26 of the M5 and the A38 Chelston link road near Wellington, Somerset will be closed from Sunday evening, June 15 until September. An official diversion route will direct motorists off the M5 either at Junction 26 (Taunton) or 27 (Tiverton) and along the A38. Wellington local, Sian Hughes, told BBC Radio Somerset: "All of the traffic will have to come off at Junction 25 or Junction 27 especially at Taunton so it will cause chaos on the A38. "I'm just going to have to leave earlier and hopefully I won't have to travel too far. "My husband Rob is a driving instructor so it will really affect his lesson times." The Falcon bus service from Exeter up to Bristol Airport will not stop at Junction 26 Wellington while the closure is in place. Somerset Council said that the project will refurbish an over-50-year-old road and bring the aging route up to modern standards. Julie Bishop, another Wellington resident, told the BBC: "It is going to affect everyone who needs to get in or out of Wellington and West Buckland. "The failure to coordinate with ongoing roadworks in Taunton is just inexcusable." Jez Harvey said: "Look on the positive side, at least we will have a motorway slip road with lovely smooth tarmac and proper drainage never to be under water again." Lead Member for Transport and Waste Services, Councillor Richard Wilkins said: "When completed we will have a new, smoother, quieter road surface with better drainage so please bear with us and plan your journey carefully while work is underway." World's biggest crash test with real people filmed on Scots military base Jonathan Hill, National Highways route manager for the M5 in Somerset urged motorists "to plan ahead accordingly". He said: "From a National Highways point of view we were looking at capacity at J25 (Taunton) and J27 (Tiverton) that it wasn't backing onto the M5 and will monitor it."
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Weeks-old badgers picked up in 'miracle' Somerset rescue
Three badger cubs, thought to be only weeks old, have been rescued after being found on the side of a village road.A driver spotted them on the 7 April in South Petherton in Somerset, while the body of what was believed to be the cubs' mother was spotted further down the cubs were handed over to be cared for at Secret World Wildlife Rescue near Highbridge and named Dr Pepper, Pepsi and they arrived at the rescue centre, they were malnourished and covered in fleas, with Secret World staff adding it was a "miracle" the cubs survived so long. Katie Gibbs, a supervisor at the centre, said: "I've never seen that many [fleas] on a single animal before."They were weak, frightened, and desperately in need of help. It's a miracle they survived as long as they did on their own." Wildlife carer Yas Bennett told Vicki Clark at Breakfast on BBC Radio Somerset the team at the centre were initially sceptical about three cubs being found together."We asked for video and bless them, we found out their mum had passed away and those poor babies had been running up to the mum's body to find food from her."Luckily we were able to go out and collect them and they've been here ever since."Ms Bennett said the cubs were initially bottle fed and are slowly being introduced to solid foods. The charity has launched an appeal in recent weeks to raise £20,000 towards its vet costs, saying in the last two years, those outgoings have increased by 27%.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Millions wasted' if new rail station does not open
Millions of pounds will be wasted if plans to open a new railway station are cancelled, an MP has claimed. Proposals to build Wellington station in Somerset were paused last year by the government. Gideon Amos, the Liberal Democrat MP for Taunton and Wellington, said land has already been bought, meaning axing the project could end up costing the taxpayer. He will lead a delegation from the town to meet Lord Peter Hendy, the rail minister, later. "Millions of pounds has gone into it already, including land contributed... the access road has been contributed," Mr Amos said. A Department for Transport spokesperson said the authority is "committed to delivering transport infrastructure that will boost growth and opportunity across the whole country". "The government inherited an extremely challenging financial position, and these projects will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review," they added. More news stories for Somerset Listen to the latest news for Somerset Mr Amos told BBC Radio Somerset that the addition of a station would bring a financial benefit to the town, believing it has the highest cost-benefit of any station reopening project in the country. He added that all of the millions of pounds already sunk into the project will be wasted if the station is now axed. Town councillor Keith Wheatley, who is part of the delegation, said the main benefit of a station would be taking pressure off local roads for commuters. "Wellington is becoming a town full of new housing, and a lot of the people living there commute to jobs in Bristol or Exeter, so there's congestion on the M5 - they don't really have an alternative," he said. Mr Wheatley added there would also be aspirational benefits, allowing more young people to travel to nearby universities without the expense of renting accommodation. Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. New rail station will have 'very basic facilities' Calls for rail stations to be built amid urgent need MP wants clarity over plans for station reopening
BBC News
23-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
'Millions wasted' if Wellington rail station is cancelled
Millions of pounds will be wasted if plans to open a new railway station are cancelled, an MP has to build Wellington station in Somerset were paused last year by the government. Gideon Amos, the Liberal Democrat MP for Taunton and Wellington, said land has already been bought, meaning axing the project could end up costing the taxpayer. He will lead a delegation from the town to meet Lord Peter Hendy, the rail minister, later."Millions of pounds has gone into it already, including land contributed... the access road has been contributed," Mr Amos said. A Department for Transport spokesperson said the authority is "committed to delivering transport infrastructure that will boost growth and opportunity across the whole country"."The government inherited an extremely challenging financial position, and these projects will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review," they added. Mr Amos told BBC Radio Somerset that the addition of a station would bring a financial benefit to the town, believing it has the highest cost-benefit of any station reopening project in the added that all of the millions of pounds already sunk into the project will be wasted if the station is now axed. Town councillor Keith Wheatley, who is part of the delegation, said the main benefit of a station would be taking pressure off local roads for commuters."Wellington is becoming a town full of new housing, and a lot of the people living there commute to jobs in Bristol or Exeter, so there's congestion on the M5 - they don't really have an alternative," he Wheatley added there would also be aspirational benefits, allowing more young people to travel to nearby universities without the expense of renting accommodation.
