The works start this weekend
Maxine Denton
12:35, 14 Jan 2026
A multi-million-pound investment is being made to improve a major route in Somerset.
National Highways said a £6million investment will see safer, smoother and more reliable journeys on the A46.
The package of improvements will be delivered north of Bath between the London Road roundabout junction and the Cold Ashton roundabout over the coming months.
The highways agency said that, along with a new road surface, better signage will be installed and drainage upgraded to prevent flooding. New, upgraded chevron signs will also be installed at Hartley Bends to improve road safety.
Sean Walsh, National Highways Route Manager, said: “More than 20,000 drivers use this route every day for work, home deliveries and the movement of goods and services, so it’s essential we continue to provide the essential maintenance and upgrades needed to make sure journeys remain safe and reliable.”
Phase one of the works will begin on January 18, with National Highways performing ground investigation surveys and installing monitoring equipment at Charmy Downs, to help better plan future improvements.
Later in the year, phases two and three of the package of work will see drainage improvements at Four Winds Farm and resurfacing at Hartley Bends.
To ensure the safety of workers and road users, some road closures will be required while the works take place. They are as follows:
January 18 to March 20 - A46 between Cold Ashton roundabout and London Road junction roundabout
Closed in both directions overnight (8pm - 6am) Monday to Friday.
Signed north and southbound diversion by –
- A420 (Marshfield)
- A350
- A4 (Corsham / Box)
National Highways will maintain access to properties on the A46 directly within the closure. Please speak to the site team at the nearest closure point and they’ll escort you through the works.
January 18 to March 20 - A46 at Charmy Down
Lane closures on the three-lane section during our works. One lane will be running in each direction with contraflow in place.
National Highways is advising road users to plan ahead and allow extra time for journeys.
It also warned that closures can change at short notice due to factors such as severe weather.
Road users can check the latest information on National Highways’ daily closures page or find live travel information on the Traffic England site. Similarly, travel alerts give details of live incidents on the network.
To find out more about the package of works on the A46, visit the web page here.