Image
The new layout would allow the junction to function more efficiently in the years to come, by helping to improve local traffic flows and meet current and future travel needs.
It includes changes and features which balance the increasing pressures of more people on our roads, the need to use finite road space more efficiently and effectively, and provide the infrastructure needed for sustainable bus travel.
The A370 Smallway junction changes include:
- extending and widening the left-hand lane to Yatton, on the A370 from the Weston-super-Mare direction, to help increase road capacity at the junction
- helping address safety concerns by bringing the stop line heading towards Weston-super-Mare further forward, to encourage better vehicle positioning and adding new traffic signal crossings at the junction
- adding traffic lights on all arms of the junction, including on the left hand and right hand turns to Yatton off the A370, to support more efficient and controlled traffic movements
- closing the east side of the Smallway crossroads to all traffic from the A370 Bristol Road, creating a small pedestrian-friendly area which allows for a more accessible crossing point for pedestrians, cyclists and mobility users. This would also improve the safety and efficiency of the A370 at this location
- extending the existing, full-time bus lane with bus priority signals, on the approach to the Smallway junction from the Bristol direction, supporting current and future bus services. Current services standing to benefit from this change are the X1, X11, A3 services and WESTlink
- widening, lengthening and improving the western footway on the A370, making it more accessible, while removing the eastern footway between Smallway and Kent Road, which has less footfall, to make this possible
- resurfacing the roads directly affected by the improvements as part of the works. This means the Council can extend vital Highways maintenance budgets to address needs of as many areas as possible.
The outline designs reflect changes made as a result of early discussions with community representatives, and address feedback shared through a public engagement survey and information event in winter 2024. For example, the junction updates will address safety concerns by controlling, and helping to simplify, all traffic movements. More details can be found in the Executive member decision report at: April 2025 executive member decisions | North Somerset Council.
Through the Bus Service Improvement Plan bus stops in Congresbury will also see improvements, as part of the next batch of shelter upgrades to start in May. Bus stops on Weston Road and Bristol Road will be updated. The nature of the upgrades will vary depending on the current bus shelter type and stop location, but will include one or more of the following enhancements:
- new, comfortable seating with armrests, made from recycled plastic
- dedicated space for wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and pushchairs
- new LED lighting with dusk-to-dawn sensors to reduce energy consumption
- shelters with living green roofs in urban areas to support biodiversity, enhance green spaces, attract wildlife, and reduce carbon emissions
- durable shelters with solar panels to power new technology and lighting
- digital real-time information screens to provide live updates on bus arrival times, along with an audio function to assist passengers with visual impairments or reading difficulties
- improved road crossings to bus stops where possible
- enhanced road markings to better highlight bus stop locations.
Cllr Hannah Young, Executive Member for Highways and Transport at North Somerset Council, said: “I am pleased that the A370 Smallway junction improvements are taking their next step towards construction. The approved plans will help traffic to flow more effectively through the junction into the future, as well as providing better infrastructure for bus journeys, and more accessible pedestrian links. We’ll continue to engage with the local community through the next steps of detailed design and implementation.”
The Smallway project is funded by UK Government through the Bus Service Improvement Plan, as part of a wider approach to developing the area’s strategic road network. The conditions of this funding mean it cannot be used to pay for any unrelated Council activities, such as road maintenance or other council services.
A legal Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) will be published to legally advertise changes to the highway around 12 weeks before any works are due to begin. The TRO period offers residents a further and final opportunity to submit any formal comments.
More information on the anticipated start date for the works and traffic management will be provided in the coming months.
Read more at https://n-somerset.gov.uk/bsip