MUCH-needed repairs to the A36 near Limpley Stoke are among 100 schemes in the South West of England on which National Highways plans to spend £167 million over the next 12 months.

They are a retaining wall on the A36 near Dundas canal bridge and drainage improvements on the A36 from Bath to Monkton Combe.

Both locations have suffered from subsidence which has led to cracks in the road surface and a temporary block on using part of the A36 towards Warminster.

Local resident, Wil Bailey, voiced serious concerns to Highways England in June last year after large cracks opened up in the tarmac on the A36 at Limpley Stoke hill.

The Warminster-bound carriageway and a 100-metre section of footway was later blocked off, with single-lane traffic restricted by temporary lights.

Millions of road-users in the South West are set to enjoy safer, quicker and easier journeys, as National Highways reveals a multi-million-pound package of improvements to roads, pavements and bridges across the region.

The announcement comes as the Government continues its drive to level up transport in regions right across the country, investing in vital infrastructure and boosting both connections and local economies as we build back better from the pandemic.

Mark Fox, National Highways Interim Regional Director, said: “Hundreds of thousands of drivers use our roads every day for work journeys, home deliveries and the movement of the goods and services, so it’s essential we keep them in a good condition to ensure safety and reliability.

“With this investment, National Highways will continue to deliver the essential maintenance and upgrades throughout the region to improve safety and help keep drivers on the move.”

Well-known motorways and major A-roads including the M5, M4, A40, A36, A303, A30 and A38 are all included in the planned package.

Motorists, pedestrians and cyclists are all set to benefit from the planned works, which include road resurfacing, bridge joint replacements, the creation of cycle lanes, improved signage and landscaping.

In total, National Highways will spend £167 million on more than 100 schemes across Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall.

National Highways will begin work on its comprehensive maintenance programme in the coming weeks.

This latest investment into the region's roads follows on from last year’s essential maintenance programme which saw National Highways pump £200 million into the completion of 121 road renewal and maintenance projects.