Work on a £5.9m project to reduce flooding on the M5 in Somerset is about to get under way.

The scheme has been designed to improve drainage and alleviate flooding on the verges and carriageway near junction 26 for Wellington, reducing the likelihood of future wet weather-related incidents and closures.

Work, starting on 20 October and anticipated to finish by the end of February 2026, will involve the de-silting of ditches, camera survey and proofing work, gully renewal, the replacement of blocked drainage pipes and fittings, resurfacing and road marking.

Jonathan Hill, National Highways’ South West route manager, said: “This is an essential scheme which will bring twofold benefits in terms of safety and wet weather resilience, reducing the likelihood of flooding and surface water issues at this location.

“As with all schemes, we’ve worked closely with partners to find a suitable timeframe to deliver the project, we’re doing all we can to keep disruption to an absolute minimum and we thank all drivers in advance for their co-operation and patience while we carry out this essential work.

“The work has been programmed to follow Somerset Council’s concrete renewal scheme at the junction and Chelston link road – the two schemes couldn’t be carried out at the same time as this would have significantly impacted people’s journey times during the busy summer months, both on the motorway and local roads around the junction.”

To enable the work, National Highways will maintain three narrow lanes in each direction through the junction with a speed limit of 50mph for the majority of the works.

For safety reasons, a 50mph speed limit will also be in place northbound from 28 October until 19 February with a similar speed restriction in place on the southbound carriageway from 2 November  until 11 February.

A small number of overnight closures will be required to install the traffic management and signage, and during the full road closures, signed diversions will be in place southbound from junction 25 to junction J27, via the A358 and A38 and the northbound in reverse.