{"id":78914,"date":"2017-02-13T16:36:00","date_gmt":"2017-02-13T16:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=226fddd80f84602a88b7c34cd9af2630"},"modified":"2017-02-23T18:09:33","modified_gmt":"2017-02-23T18:09:33","slug":"news-story-170-million-plan-to-dual-vital-somerset-road","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=78914","title":{"rendered":"News story: \u00a3170 million plan to dual vital Somerset road"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Updated:<\/em> Public information event dates updated<\/p>\n<div class=\"govspeak\">\n<p>The key route between Sparkford and Ilchester is being upgraded to relieve the over-congested road and create 30 miles of dual carriageway between Mere and South Petherton.<\/p>\n<p>The \u00a3170 million plan is part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/collections\/road-investment-strategy\">government\u2019s \u00a315 billion investment in our motorways and major A roads between 2015 and 2020<\/a> \u2013 the biggest in a generation.<\/p>\n<p>More than 26,000 vehicles use this stretch of road a day, double the number it was designed for. Dualling the route will cut journey times and new junctions will enhance safety.<\/p>\n<p>Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Almost 4 million trips are made on the A303 every year and we are investing more than \u00a32 billion to improve these motorists\u2019 journeys, making them quicker and safer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"last-child\">Tackling congestion on this vital road will also help boost the economy in the south-west, unlock thousands of jobs and homes and promote tourism.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Work will include making junctions safer as well as providing better links for pedestrians and cyclists.<\/p>\n<p>Highways England is consulting on the 2 routes and is urging residents to have their say on the plans. The consultation runs from 15 February to 29 March 2017.<\/p>\n<p>The preferred route between Sparkford and Ilchester is due to be announced in autumn this year. Work is expected to start in 2020.<\/p>\n<p>Highways England chief executive Jim O\u2019Sullivan said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>This scheme will be really good news for people travelling to and from the south-west, particularly during the busy summer months.<\/p>\n<p class=\"last-child\">Our consultation and public exhibitions will provide an excellent opportunity to explain further our plans and to hear feedback from people on our proposals to deliver the scheme.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>A separate consultation on building a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/consultations\/a303-stonehenge\">tunnel for the A303 near Stonehenge<\/a> is also underway. This will further improve journeys on the main road between London and the south-west.<\/p>\n<p>Further details on upgrading the A358 between Taunton and Southfields will also be revealed shortly.<\/p>\n<div class=\"call-to-action\">\n<p><a rel=\"external\" href=\"http:\/\/roads.highways.gov.uk\/projects\/a303-sparkford-to-ilchester\/\">Have your say on the A303 Sparkford to Ilchester upgrade<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Highways England is holding the following public information events:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>12.00 noon to 8.30pm, Thursday 23 February: Sparkford Inn Function Room, Sparkford<\/li>\n<li>10.00am to 5.00pm, Queen Camel Memorial Hall, High Street, Queen Camel, Yeovil<\/li>\n<li>10.00am to 6.00pm, Friday, 10 March: Davis Hall, Howell Hill, West Camel, Yeovil<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"contact \" id=\"contact_1018\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<h3>Roads media enquiries<\/h3>\n<div class=\"vcard contact-inner\">\n<div class=\"email-url-number\">\n<p class=\"tel\">\n              <span class=\"type\">Press enquiries<\/span><br \/>\n              020 7944 3021\n            <\/p>\n<p class=\"tel\">\n              <span class=\"type\">Out of hours<\/span><br \/>\n              020 7944 4292\n            <\/p>\n<p class=\"tel\">\n              <span class=\"type\">Switchboard<\/span><br \/>\n              0300 330 3000\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Drivers will see quicker, safer and more reliable journeys in Somerset under government plans to tackle congestion on the A303.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78914"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=78914"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78914\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":79220,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78914\/revisions\/79220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=78914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=78914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=78914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}