A YEAR ON THE A358: Rush hour jams, deserted in lockdown, coned off for roadworks

The contrast in commuter traffic using the A358 onto the Junction 25 roundabout of the M5 is stark.

Photographer Phil Silvers has charted the changes on the busy road from early last year, through lockdown and now following the opening on Sunday of the new link road.

Back in January 2020, Phil snapped this typical image of commuters caught in daily traffic snarl ups.

Rush hours on the A358 January 20 2020

Rush hour on the A358, January 20 2020

Back then frustrated drivers were frequently stuck in slow moving queues.

What a difference a couple of months made.

In March, England went into lockdown due to the rampant spread of Covid-19.

This image from Phil taken on April 10 last year during what would normally be the rush hours shows a lone cyclist on the A358 with not a vehicle in sight.

Rush hour on the A358 on April 10 2020

A lone cyclist on the A358 in 'rush hour' during lockdown

Phil's photo taken a couple of weeks earlier at the Gateway Park and Ride site on March 28 last year shows a man jogging across the A358 again with no traffic in view.

The section of the A358 by Toby Carvery

This man jogs across the A358 near the park and ride on March 28 2020

He'd have been taking his life in his hands had he tried to cross the section of road during rush hour just a month beforehand.

Then on Sunday, the new link road for traffic accessing the M5 and Taunton from the Ilminster and Chard direction became operational.

The A358 between Ruishton Lane and the J25 roundabout is now closed for works on both east and westbound carriageway at the Toby Carvery, near the park and ride as traffic uses the new carriageway constructed as part of the J25 improvements.

The A358 by Gateway Park and Ride closed to traffic during roadworks

Coned off - the A358 approach to J25