£12.6 million is to be spent by the Government to try keep traffic moving on the M5 motorway through Somerset, which could help to reduce summer queues in the Burnham-On-Sea area.
The work will target ‘congestion hot-spots’ with technology used to improve the flow of vehicles at peak times.
£5.5 million will be spent between junctions 23 at Highbridge and 24 at Bridgwater on a new ‘driver information and queue protection scheme’. A further £7.1 million will be spent between junctions 24-25.
Roads Minister Andrew Jones says new signs will be built over the motorway that will display a variable speed limit, like the one pictured here on the M5 at Bristol.
He says: “There will be automatic detection of traffic flows that then triggers the alorythms that run the signs to change the speeds and inform the drivers.”
The work will be completed by spring 2020, say the Government. The improvements to the M5 through Somerset aim to bring welcome relief for thousands of holiday motorists as well as local drivers all year-round.
Transport Minister Chris Grayling said the scheme are worth about £110 million nationwide.
Nick Harris, Highways England operations director, added: “This continued investment in our motorways and major roads is bringing real benefits to communities up and down the country, and we will continue working with our partners to improve journeys for everyone who uses our roads.”
