A multi-million pound link road which will provide traffic relief to several key locations across the south east of Bridgwater was formally approved today.

Somerset County Council’s Cabinet unanimously voted to appoint a contractor for the £18.4m Colley Lane Southern Access Road (CLSAR) scheme following an extensive procurement process.

The contract will be signed after Christmas once the mandatory standstill period has ended. Until this point, the successful contractor cannot be named.

The next step will be for detailed plans for the delivery of the scheme to be finalised by the County Council working closely with the new contractor. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2018 and will take around 18 months.

The new carriageway will provide access into the Colley Lane Industrial Estate from the South, avoiding the need for vehicles having to use the most congested sections of Taunton Road, and Broadway by connecting Parrett Way to Marsh Lane with a new roundabout at the existing Marsh Lane/Showground Road junction.

Provision to access brown field development sites located between the River Parrett and the Taunton & Bridgwater Canal has also been made, supporting the delivery of planned housing and employment land nearby.

Colley Lane plans include two new bridges, 840 metres of new carriageway and additional provision for cycle and footways. This huge investment will support development and the local economy in Bridgwater benefiting both residents and businesses.

Cllr John Woodman, Somerset County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “We understand that Bridgwater is growing and we are working hard to make sure the right infrastructure is in place to support this.

“Today’s key decision to award a contract is a major step forward in a very important scheme. We know how essential this route is for the people of Bridgwater and are looking forward to starting work soon. We’ll share details of the construction programme with the community as soon as we can.”

Claire Pearce, Sedgemoor District Council’s Group Manager for Strategy and Development, said: “Sedgemoor District Council are delighted with the confirmation that the Colley Lane Southern Access Road will start on site shortly, following the award of the contract.

“This scheme is a vital improvement to the Bridgwater transport network to support the existing community, housing developments, as well as the Hinkley Point C project. The road will also open up new employment sites to the south of the town, providing space for business growth, contributing towards meeting our wider economic development objectives.”

The £18.4m Colley Lane scheme will be funded by developer contributions from EDF S106 contributions, £9.38m from housing developers S106 contributions, £3m from DfT Productivity Investment Fund and up to £4m from the Somerset County Council capital programme.

You can stay up to date with current and future roadworks as well as checking for live travel incidents at www.travelsomerset.co.uk or by following @TravelSomerset on Twitter.