Drivers warned ‘plan ahead' as major motorway junction used by thousands everyday closes for 14 WEEKS
TOUGH RIDE Drivers warned 'plan ahead' as major motorway junction used by thousands everyday closes for 14 WEEKS – check your route
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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.
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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."
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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."
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