South West - Maintenance schemes

We recognise the environmental value of trees. We manage our trees through their whole lifecycle, to control safety risk and optimise the environmental value provided by trees. 

In the South West we manage a large estate including significant areas of woodland by the side of our roads. Our tree specialists carry out regular inspections for safety and general woodland management. 

We also have a legal obligation to ensure our strategic road network remains safe to road users and the trees in our care do not pose a hazard to adjacent property. Where possible we will make trees safe, and as a last resort remove dead or dying trees when advised to do so by our specialists. 

Ash dieback is significant across the South West region. It has spread rapidly to the trees alongside our roads over recent years. 

Regrettably, surveys by our specialists have found dry conditions and increased temperatures have increased stress on already diseased trees and many ash trees are deteriorating quickly. A large proportion are now dead or dying and pose a potential safety risk, leaving us with no alternative other than to make them safe or remove them. 

Over the coming months, we'll remove or make safe ash trees identified for urgent action. We'll also be replanting trees in some locations. 

We'll be removing and replanting in the following locations: 

• A303 both directions between Horton, near Illminster, and the A303 Junction with the A350, near Chicklade. 
• A38 between the Turfdown roundabout, near Coleslogget Halt, and the Saltash junction with the B3271 
• A38 between the Plymouth Tamar Bridge roundabout and Kennford Exeter. 

The tree work will start on Monday 6 January and will last approximately 12 weeks. 

Traffic management will include a combination of lanes closures and complete carriageway closures depending on the work taking place. If needed, diversion routes will be fully signposted. 

The work will take place on weekdays only. 

Ash dieback is a national issue and more information from the Forestry Commission can be found here.

Tree Council - Ash dieback a tree owners guide

Work

We’re resurfacing the A30 between Trebursye and Two Bridges. This will maintain and improve safety for everyone using the road. 

Due to recent poor weather conditions, we now have some additional shifts planned to complete the works. 

We’ll be carrying out this work on weeknights between 8pm and 6am, when there is less traffic on the road. 

Closures and diversions

We’ll have overnight closures (from 8pm to 6am) on the A30. The A30 will be open as usual during the day and at weekends: 

Thursday 23 January – Monday 27 January

• Works taking place on the A30 westbound overnight between Trebursye to Two Bridges 
• We’ll be using a convoy system on the A30. This means the A30 is still open, but you will be taken past the working area behind a traffic vehicle at a reduced speed
• The road will be open as usual over the weekend

Wednesday 29 January – Friday 31 January

• Westbound entry slip at Pennygillam closed overnight
• We’ll be using a convoy system on the A30. This means the A30 is still open, but you will be taken past the working area behind a traffic vehicle at a reduced speed

Diversion

• Use the eastbound A30 and go to the Tavistock Rd exit, where you can join the westbound carriageway 

Monday 3 February – Tuesday 4 February

• Westbound A30 closed overnight between Trebursye junction and Kennards House

Diversion

• Via E Park

Wednesday 5 February – Friday 7 February

• Works taking place on the A30 westbound overnight between Trebursye to Two Bridges
• We’ll be using a convoy system on the A30
• This means the A30 is still open, but you will be taken past the working area behind a traffic vehicle at a reduced speed 

Access will be maintained to properties within the closure.

If we experience further poor weather we may have to continue beyond the dates stated above. 

Please plan ahead and allow extra time for your journeys. 

We’re resurfacing the A303 between Longbarrow roundabout and the junction for the A338. This will maintain and improve safety for everyone using the road. 

We’ll be carrying out this work via weeknight closures. This is when there is the least amount of traffic using the road. Works will start from the evening of Monday 27 January. 

Weeknight closures

The resurfacing works will be undertaken via overnight closures (from 8pm to 6am). These works will take us five nights to complete. The A303 will be open as usual during the day and at weekends.

The following closes are scheduled to take place on: 

• Monday 27 January – Thursday 30 January: Eastbound closure between Countess Roundabout and the junction for the A338
• Friday 31 January: full closure between Longbarrow roundabout and Countess roundabout

Diversion information

Well signed diversion routes will be in place:

• Monday 27 January – Thursday 30 January: via A345, Portway, A338, as well as A3028 and Solstice Park Avenue
• Friday 31 January: via A360, The Packway / Larkhill, A345, as well as Stonehenge Road

Please remember that closures can change at short notice. You can check the latest information on our daily closures page or find live travel information on our Traffic England website. Our travel alerts give details of live incidents on our network.

Please plan ahead and allow extra time for your journeys. 

We will do all that we can to keep disruption to a minimum. However, we apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused.

We’re resurfacing the A303 between Newtown and Stopgate Cross This will maintain and improve safety for everyone using the road, and reduce the need for any unplanned closures.

We’ll be carrying out this work via a mix of weeknight closures, as well as two full weekend closures. This is when there is the least amount of traffic using the road. Works will start from the evening of Monday 13 January. 

Access will be maintained to properties directly within the closure. Please speak to the site team to be escorted through the works.

Weeknight closures

We’ll be undertaking some of the preparatory works via overnight closures (from 8pm to 6am) between Stopgate Cross and Newtown. These works will take us ten nights to complete. The A303 will be open as usual during the day and at weekends: 

• Monday 13 January – Friday 17 January
• Monday 20 January – Friday 24 January

Full weekend closures

The main resurfacing works will be undertaken via two full weekend closures. The full weekend closures of the A303 will be between Stopgate Cross and Newtown. The teams will be working 24/7. 

• From 8pm on Friday 24 January until 6am on Monday 27 January
• From 8pm on Friday 31 January until 6am on Monday 3 February

Diversion information

A well signed diversion will be in place in both directions via Stooper’s Hill, Combe Beacon Lane and the A30.

This work is subject to favourable weather conditions, for example heavy rain may affect the progress. If we’re unable to complete our work as planned, we may need to continue beyond the dates stated above. 

Please plan ahead and allow extra time for your journeys. 

We will do all that we can to keep disruption to a minimum. However, we apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused.

We need to improve the stability of the ground on a short section of the A303 at Newcott. 

Our work will keep this busy section of road safe and reduce the need for unplanned closures.

We'll working Monday – Friday daytime (8am – 6pm) from Monday 20 January until Thursday 13 March.

Temporary traffic lights 

20 January to 14 February

For safety while we work, we'll use temporary traffic lights from Monday 20 January until Friday 14 February.

The lights will operate each week from 8am Monday morning until 6pm Friday afternoon.

The road will be open as usual at weekends. 

17 February to 13 March

We'll use temporary traffic lights from time to time on the eastbound carriageway.

This will allow our vehicles to leave the site safely. 

Please plan ahead and allow extra time for your journeys. 

This work is subject to favourable weather conditions, for example heavy rain may affect the progress.

We’re replacing the Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS) on the A38 at the Menheniot junction at Lower Clicker. This will maintain and improve safety for everyone who uses the junction.

We’ll be using a mix of lane and overnight closures to safely carry out the work, starting on Monday 23 September. It will take around six months.

Closure information

• Monday 4 November to Friday 6 December: the first exit to the B3251 on the westbound carriageway, and a lane on the westbound carriageway, will be closed weeknights 9pm to 6am. A diversion will be in place using the other B3251 exit.

Please plan ahead and allow extra time for your journeys. As our work progresses, there will be some full closures of the A38. These are currently due to start on at the end of January 2025. We’ll provide more information here.  

Access will be maintained for anyone with direct access off the A38 within the closures.

This work is subject to favourable weather conditions, for example heavy rain may affect the progress.

We're carrying out structural inspections and surveys on the M32 at junction 2 the Eastville viaduct.  

These surveys are assessing the current condition of the motorway to help identify any future work that may be required. These types of surveys are done routinely on our structures up and down the country.  

The survey work started on the underside of the viaduct in November 2024. From mid-January 2025 we'll need to carry out surveys on the topside of the structure, on the carriageway of the M32 and on the entry and exit slip roads at junction 2. This work will take approximately seven weeks. 

To carry out these surveys safely a number of carriageway and slip road closures will be required at the junction. 

Most of the closures will take place overnight between the hours of 8pm and 6am. 

Please note that these dates could be subject to change. Any updates will be shared on this webpage. 

We apologise for any disruption caused and thank you for your patience. 

Diversion routes will be in place and well signposted throughout. 

Closures include:  

A small section of Stapleton Road 

A small section of Stapleton Road under the M32 at J2 will be closed for two nights on Wednesday 15 January and Thursday 16 January 2025. 

M32 southbound between J1 and J3 

The M32 southbound between junctions 1 and 3 will be closed for two nights on Sunday 19 January and Monday 20 January 2025. 

The Muller Road southbound entry and exit slip roads

The southbound entry and exit slip roads and the M32 southbound Lane 1 will be closed for 17 nights (weekday nights only) from Tuesday 21 January to Wednesday 12 February 2025. 

M32 northbound between J1 and J3

The M32 northbound between junctions 1 and 3 will be closed for two nights on Thursday 13 February and Sunday 16 February 2025. 

The Muller Road northbound entry and exit slip roads   

The northbound entry and exit slip roads and the M32 northbound Lane 1 will be closed for 16 nights (weekday nights only) from Monday 17 February to Monday 10 March 2025.

We’re carrying out some temporary bridge joint repairs to one of the bridges at Portbury (Gordano) Interchange. 

The bridge goes over the M5 at junction 19 and carries traffic that’s heading towards the Portbury Hundred and Royal Portbury Docks.

We’ll be closing the bridge overnight on Monday 27 January and Tuesday 28 January from 8pm – 6am. 

The bridge will be open as usual during the day. The M5 will remain open throughout. 

Clearly signed diversion routes will be in place: 

• for motorway traffic - via the southbound M5 to Junction 20 (Clevedon), to then return on the M5 northbound carriageway
• for non-motorway traffic - via Mill Lane, Portbury Lane and then onto Beggar Bush Lane

Further, full repair works will then be required. These works will be scheduled and publicised in due course. 

Get up-to-date travel information here.