A NEW dualled section of the A303 through Somerset opened today (November 4).

Drivers using the route, between Sparkford and Ilchester, will have noticed two lanes open on the whole stretch for the first time on a weekday commute.

National Highways, which is overseeing the multi million-pound project, said the new section “will significantly reduce travel time in the region, giving millions of people a smoother journey to the south west”.

It has been years in the making, with drivers experiencing a range of speed limits, diversions and single-lane changes to the A303 as work was completed.

Over the weekend, part of the stretch was closed for the removal of traffic barriers, before both lanes were opened ready for Monday morning.

The project has seen the A303 rerouted, particularly around the Hazelgrove Roundabout, with two lanes now in use in both directions along the entire stretch.

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