Work is to begin on a £2 million safety barrier upgrade project on the M5 in Somerset.

Engineers will start replacing a one-mile section of metal barrier near Bridgwater with a new concrete barrier from Monday, 10 October.

The scheme at Junction 23 will require extensive excavation and construction along the central reservation. Over 1,400 tonnes of concrete will be used and Highways England said detailed planning has been undertaken to ensure the work is delivered "safely and efficiently".

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In order to deliver the project, lane closure and traffic management will be in place.

Highways England Project Manager Dave Frampton, said: "The new stronger concrete barrier will help to provide safer journeys for the thousands of drivers who use this stretch of the M5 every day.

"We have specifically designed the programme so it will not impact on the school half-term, however we will need to introduce two narrow lanes in both directions for a seven-week period starting at the beginning of November.

"While this may cause some increased congestion, particularly on Friday evenings southbound, it will ensure we can complete the work a full week earlier and remove narrow lanes for the start of the Christmas getaway."

(LM/CD)