Highways England has awarded a £328m contract to design and deliver an upgrade to the A358 between the M5 at Taunton and the Southfields roundabout on the A303 to Taylor Woodrow Plus.

The contract award follows a competitive procurement process through Highways England’s regional delivery partnership framework. Preparatory works have been taking place with Taylor Woodrow, in partnership with Arup and Ramboll, undertaking ground investigation and environmental surveys in the area to inform their design proposals. This is all in preparation for a statutory consultation on the proposals ahead of submission of the scheme’s development consent order application to the Planning Inspectorate.

Andrew Alcorn, Highways England programme leader for the A358, said: “We are delighted to be working with Taylor Woodrow Plus to move forward this vital scheme. Taylor Woodrow has an extensive track record working with Highways England and delivering large scale infrastructure projects, so we are confident they will deliver a scheme that will support economic growth, improve traffic flows at peak times and make the road safer.

Julian Gatward, managing director of Taylor Woodrow, said: “Taylor Woodrow Plus is pleased to have been awarded the contract to deliver such a significant improvement for motorists and the local community. Taylor Woodrow Plus brings together the expertise of Taylor Woodrow, Arup and Ramboll in delivering solutions from conception through to construction.

“Supported by Taylor Woodrow’s VINCI sister companies, we are committed to contributing to the local community whilst supporting economic growth in the area.”

Vital to the A303/A358 corridor, this scheme is part of a long-term aim to create a high-quality dual carriageway link between London and the south east and the south west. While much of the corridor is a dual carriageway, there are still over 35 miles of single carriageway.