A358 Taunton to Southfields

[Herned]

In danger of breaching the forum's robust language policy here... NH have announced the following weasel words:

National Highways with the support from Government will not be submitting the Development Consent Order application for the A358 Taunton to Southfields Dualling Scheme as planned this year and we are working with Government on the next steps.

[Peter Freeman]

As the saying goes its all in the wiki.

S2+1
https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/ind ... tle=S2%2B1

WS2+1
https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/ind ... le=WS2%2B1

OK. That corresponds with CBRD. So, in summary, S2+1 is generic 3-lane, with one-way-only overtaking in the middle lane, while WS2+1 is a more formalised codification that inludes details of line painting, how to mark out the transitions, etc, and roadside signage.

Fair enough. I still think the names suck (they're both wide).

[Big L]

Fair enough. I still think the names suck (they're both wide).

But the W one is wider as it has a metre wide painted gap between opposing traffic. Would “S2+1 with a metre wide gap in the middle” be a better abbreviation? I think not.

[Mapper89062]

WS2+1 makes sense as a name to me because it's essentially a hybrid of the earlier S2+1 and WS2 designs.

[jackal]

Happy to be proven wrong about S2+1/WS2+1.

But any thoughts about the A358 update? Local press report that it's "on hold indefinitely", which would be a dire turn of events IMO. The skimpy comments from NH seem more ambiguous, though hardly promising.

I can't really see why they'd actually give up on it. Aside from Sabristic junction quibbling it's not a controversial scheme, and has strong local support. NH budgets should be under less pressure now with the LTC contracts coming in under projections.

https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk ... pass-hold/

https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-road ... uthfields/

[Herned]

It's just odd. It makes no sense politically, as it's a stick to beat the government with, and not a great deal needs to be spent this side of the election anyway.

Presumably just down to costs being way higher but they don't want to admit that

[RichardA35]

But any thoughts about the A358 update? Local press report that it's "on hold indefinitely", which would be a dire turn of events IMO. The skimpy comments from NH seem more ambiguous, though hardly promising.

I can't really see why they'd actually give up on it. Aside from Sabristic junction quibbling it's not a controversial scheme, and has strong local support. NH budgets should be under less pressure now with the LTC contracts coming in under projections.

https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk ... pass-hold/

https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-road ... uthfields/

One possible "extreme" take on any delay would be along the lines of NH examining/slowing down/value engineering the entire A303 programme to see to what degree the deployment of funds to any A303 scheme assists solely NH strategic traffic ahead of the projected Stonehenge scheme completion.
The Taunton to Southfields (more or) equally benefits regional traffic on the A3088/A37 corridor as well as the A303 traffic so until the log jams of Stonehenge and Sparkford deliver more traffic more quickly to the Ilminster area and irresistible queues form at South Petherton, there won't be a compelling case for NH to give the go ahead to the A358 improvements (and the other minor schemes Chicklade etc) at which time the BCRs will also have improved as journey time saving will be immense.
As I said it is an extreme bit of thinking and the SW MPs might be rather upset at deferral of improvements.