2 roads in Bridgwater will see traffic controls in place next week to allow works linked to the planned Agratas battery facility.

The works, being carried out by Agratas’s contractor, JSM Group Services Ltd, are needed to install underground power cables connecting Gravity site in Puriton to Bridgwater’s electricity substation.

Bower Lane and Westonzoyland Road (A372) will both be affected from next week as the works start. Local residents and businesses have been written to directly.

• Westonzoyland Road: night time closure, from 7pm to 7am. During this time there will be a two-way temporary traffic light system with access remaining in both directions.
• Bower Lane: a one-way systems and multi-way traffic lights to allow works along the road which will be carried out in several phases. Work will start on Monday under traffic lights, with a one-way system then introduced between Bath Road and the hospital roundabout.

Traffic will only be able to access the hospital from the A39 direction (Bath Road) and will need to follow a signed diversion via Whitfield Road when exiting.

Both controls start on Monday, 5 August, and are expected to be in place for around a month. Bower Lane is then scheduled to be closed in phases from early September to late December.

More information, including contact details, are available on JSM Group Services’ Bridgwater Gigafactory webpage.

Access will be maintained at all times for directly affected businesses and homes. However, residents should plan ahead and leave extra time for journeys, for example when travelling for hospital appointments.

Further works will be needed in Bridgwater later in the year to complete the electricity connection, which is an essential part of the preparation work for the planned facility. Details of these will be shared once confirmed.

Once completed and operational, it is anticipated that this £4bn investment from Agratas will create around 4,000 direct jobs and many more in the supply chain.

Councillor Richard Wilkins, Lead Member for Transport and Digital, said:

Everyone knows the huge benefits that would come with the planned facility and what it should mean for jobs and the economy, in Bridgwater and the county as a whole.

Of course, something on this scale can’t happen without supporting infrastructure, and that means that some disruption to the network is unavoidable.

We’ll work with Agratas to minimise this where possible, but ask for patience and understanding.

A spokesperson for Agratas said:

Agratas’ multi-billion-pound facility will bring state-of-the-art sustainable battery cell technology to Somerset, bringing with it groundbreaking opportunities for positive change for the regional economy.

To power our facility, we’re working with Somerset Council to build a new underground power supply. As with every construction project of this scale, there will be some temporary disruption to local roads, which is why we’re doing everything we can to minimise the impact on traffic and the community.