Warning as M5 to partially close for weeks

Drivers have been warned to expect weeks of disruption as a motorway partially closes amid construction of Britain's biggest electric battery manufacturing site.

Sections of the M5 near Bridgwater are set to shut during various days and nights throughout October to allow workers to lay new cables for the plant's energy supply.

Closures will begin on Monday as developer Agratas starts digging trenches along the route. The work is scheduled to take 15 days to complete.

An Agratas spokesperson said: "We recognise the temporary disruption these works will cause and thank motorists and local communities for their patience."

Agratas said land ownership issues, plus concerns about more and longer-lasting disruption meant laying the cabling under the route was the best option.

A spokesperson for the firm said: "The route was selected following a detailed evaluation by specialist contractors, with a number of options considered for connecting the substation off Westonzoyland Road to the Gravity site.

"The assessment considered a range of factors, including the potential impact on neighbouring communities, land ownership and ground conditions."

Closures will take place overnight, between 20:00 BST and 06:00, on both sides of the motorway from Junctions 24 (Sedgemoor) and Junction 23 (Bridgwater).

During the day, two lanes will close on one side of the motorway, with the remaining lanes running at 50mph.

Agratas says the opposite carriageway will remain fully open, apart from two days when the works need to cross the central reservation. On these days, two lanes of both sides of the route will shut.

Additionally, there will be one night when a full closure of the M5 is needed, but a date is yet to be confirmed.

An Agratas spokesperson added: "The power connection is a vital piece of infrastructure for the Agratas facility, which will put Somerset at the forefront of UK battery cell production, creating thousands of jobs for local people and delivering significant economic benefits for Somerset and the wider south-west."

Up to 2,900 workers are expected at the Agratas plant near Bridgwater, Somerset, this autumn as the company said the first building was nearly water-tight and internal fit-out could get under way.

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