M5 West Country overnight closures as six months of roadworks start today

The first phase of a six-month-long closure on the M5 in the West Country is set to begin. National Highways has advised motorists using the M5 Junction 27 (Willand) to plan their journeys and allow extra time due to the upcoming closures. Essential repairs are scheduled to be carried out by National Highways on the concrete base layer of the M5 around junction 27 near Willand, necessitating the removal of surface layers above the concrete.

Consequently, there will be closures and a contraflow on the M5 to ensure safety for all motorway users. A spokesperson said: "We understand that road closures are frustrating, but by closing the road and installing a contraflow, we can get this essential repair work done safely and quickly, causing less disruption overall. We'll be starting this work after the main summer holiday time, and making sure three lanes are open in each direction for October half term, to minimise disruption.

Our work will finish before Easter 2025. Work will be starting near the central reservation, before moving across the carriageway. National Highways has planned the work for after the main summer holiday period, and three lanes will be open in each direction for October half term, to minimise disruption.

Weather dependent, the work will finish before Easter 2025. Closure and diversion route information for the so far announced work Monday 16 September to Tuesday 1 October - overnight lane closures on the M5 around junction 27 (Tiverton) between 8.30pm and 6am each night.

At least one lane will remain open in each direction. Wednesday 2 October & Thursday 3 October - the M5 will be closed southbound between junction 26 (Wellington) and junction 28 (Cullumpton) between 8.30pm and 6am each night. Traffic will be diverted via the A38 & B3181.

Friday 4 October & Saturday 5 October - the M5 will be closed northbound between junction 28 (Cullumpton) and junction 26 (Wellington) between 8.30pm and 6am each night. Traffic will be diverted via the B3181 & A38. Saturday 5 October to Thursday 24 October - from 6.00am on Saturday 5 October, a lane will be closed on the northbound M5 around junction 27.

Three lanes will be open southbound, with traffic using the hard shoulder. Friday 25 October to Monday 4 November - three lanes will be open in each direction over half term. Traffic will use the hard shoulder in both directions while we work in the middle of the road.

Tuesday 5 to Friday 15 November - the southbound M5 will be closed between junctions 26 (Wellington) and 28 (Cullumpton) from 8.30pm to 6am each night. A diversion will be in place via the A38 and the B3181. From 6am Saturday 16 November - two lanes running in each direction with all traffic using the southbound carriageway in a contraflow.

A spokesperson added: "Early next year we'll move traffic to the northside side to allow us to work on the southbound carriageway. We'll provide more information as our work progresses.This work is subject to favourable weather conditions, for example heavy rain may affect the progress. "Please remember that closures can change at short notice.

You can check the latest information on our daily closures page[1] or find live travel information on our Traffic England[2] site.

Our travel alerts[3] give details of live incidents on our network."

References

1. ^ daily closures page (nationalhighways.co.uk)
2. ^ Traffic England (www.trafficengland.com)
3. ^ travel alerts (nationalhighways.co.uk)