A BUSY roundabout in Somerset’s county town will not be signalised in a bid to improve traffic flow between the town centre and the M5.

The Wickes roundabout connects four key roads on the approach to Taunton town centre: the A358 Toneway (from the M5 and the recently-upgraded Creech Castle crossroads), the A38 Chritchard Way (leading into East Reach), the A3038 Priory Bridge Road (towards Somerset County Cricket Club and the Firepool site) and the A358 Obridge viaduct (leading to Williton).

Somerset Council recently announced that the roundabout would be resurfaced through a series of overnight road closures between September 4 and 15, with local diversions being in place throughout.

The council has now confirmed that it has no immediate plans to install traffic lights on the roundabout as part of any further measures to ease congestion.

Traffic lights were installed on all roads approaching junction 25 of the M5 back in mid-2021, with the council arguing that they would ensure the smoother flow of traffic both on and off the carriageway and between Taunton and Ilminster.

Equally, the retooling of the Creech Castle junction was designed to ensure a steadier flow of traffic in all directions, preventing queues back through the Monkton Heathfield urban extension or between the town centre and the M5.

Somerset County Council (which was replaced by the current unitary authority in April) showed considerable appetite for signalisation schemes, adding traffic lights to numerous roundabouts and key junctions on Yeovil’s western corridor.

Signalisation also forms part of the planned improvements to the Dunball roundabout in Bridgwater and a proposed scheme to enhance the Edithmead roundabout in Highbridge.

But Somerset Council has said it does not have either the desire or the funding available in its capital programme to signalise the Wickes roundabout as yet.

A spokesman said: “There are no plans to signalise the roundabout and currently no funding is available for any improvements of this kind.

“Our work in September is a vital resurfacing scheme to ensure this important part of the network remains fit for purpose for road users.”