Somerset Council has said it has no immediate plans to upgrade a busy roundabout on the edge of the Mendip Hills. The so-called ‘magic roundabout’ is on the northern edge of Cheddar, and the point where the A371 Axbridge Road and Upper New Road meets the B3135 towards Cheddar Gorge and Shipham Road leading to several local quarries, says the Somerset County Gazette.

The roundabout is regularly used by quarrying lorries and is seeking increasing traffic from housing growth in Cheddar and Axbridge, as well as from visitors to the reservoir, local campsites and other tourist attractions.

Somerset Council is currently undertaking a feasibility study to see how the junction can be improved, which is being funded by contributions from local housing developments, but the council has admitted that, whatever the outcome of this study, it could be many years before any improvements to the junction are made.

The current junction is of an unusual design, with the A371 and B3135 sliding past each other and limited space for vehicles to turn onto one road or the other (especially when multiple lorries are involved).

The ‘magic roundabout’ also has very limited pedestrian facilities, with people seeking to reach the Esso petrol station and shop from Axbridge having to cross onto the existing island (which has no Tarmac surface).

Sedgemoor District Council identified the junction as a priority within its transport strategy, which was published in August 2019 and committed to the roads being “realigned to improve traffic flow and make it safer for local pedestrians”.

Somerset Council said that it currently had no detailed designs for such a scheme and no funding to implement any improvements.

A spokesperson said:

“We are undertaking a feasibility study at the junction funded by Section 106 funding. Beyond that work, there is currently no proposal to deliver any upgrade.”

(Picture: Mapillary)