Adam Dance MP has expressed his support for the recent decision to pause the proposed dualling of the A358 between Ilminster and Taunton. In his comments, Dance emphasized the need for a more measured approach to improving this vital road link, highlighting the benefits of targeted, smaller-scale projects over the full dualling of the route.
"After a chequered history, a rethink of the plan to dual all of the A358 between Ilminster and Taunton is to be welcomed," Dance stated. He acknowledged the necessity of enhancing the road's functionality but expressed reservations about the extensive scope of the original proposal. "It is clear action is needed to help this important road link work better, but I have never been supportive of dualling the whole length between Ilminster and Taunton. This is a huge scheme, costly and time-consuming."
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Dance advocated for focused improvements at key bottlenecks, such as a bypass at Henlade and modifications to the A303 Southfields roundabout. He also stressed the importance of considering safety upgrades for the Ilminster bypass, which he described as a "lethal route." According to Dance, these targeted projects would not only be quicker to design and implement but would also offer a more cost-effective solution, citing the prolonged and expensive dualling of the A303 around Sparkford as a cautionary example.
In addition to road improvements, Dance called for enhanced public transport options for those who lack easy access to car travel. "At the same time, I would like to see real improvements in transport services for those without easy access to car travel, and that is why I want improvements to public transport as well as appropriate and effective improvements to our road network," he concluded.