The road linking mid Somerset to the A303 and the ports of Southampton and Weymouth will not be upgraded for years. Work to improve the A358 will not begin until 2020 Highways England has said.

The dual carriageway plan progress report was given to Somerset County Council on this week. This follows election promises by the transport ministry the work would start soon. The project involves upgrading the A303/A358/A30 corridor from the M3 to the M5 in Taunton, Somerset.

However the county Council will press ahead with improvement work to J25. A meeting tonight in North Petherton will hear of plans to improve J24.

The A358 suffers long tailbacks for much of the day and links Highbridge and Bridgwater to the south and east. The alternative to reach Southampton or Dorset is to take the M5 and M4 - which is a long way round.