Latest Developments Shared on £32m A350 Scheme in Wiltshire

Progress is being made on a £32 million infrastructure project aimed at enhancing one of Wiltshire’s most heavily used roads.

Construction on the fourth and fifth phases of the A350 dualling in Chippenham began this spring, following a year-long delay. Wiltshire Council has now confirmed that the scheme remains on schedule and is expected to be completed by winter 2026.

The council’s contractor, MJ Church, has reported that the development is moving forward efficiently.

When finished, the project will complete the dual carriageway sections of the A350 bypass around Chippenham. These sections include the road between Chequers and Lackham Roundabouts, as well as the stretch from Bumpers Farm to Cepen Park South Roundabouts.

As part of the project, improvements will also be made to Bumpers Farm Roundabout to help ease traffic and reduce congestion in the area.

Cllr Martin Smith, cabinet member for highways, recently toured the construction site with Claire Coetzee, civil engineering director at MJ Church.

He said:“I was really pleased to visit the site recently and see that the project is progressing well and on track to deliver on time and within budget.“The A350 is a vital route for Wiltshire and the wider region, and once complete, the dualling will increase capacity, reduce delays, and improve traffic flow – particularly around Bumpers Farm during peak times.”

During the summer months, lane restrictions and overnight closures have been in place to allow the works to continue, although MJ Church has stated these disruptions have been kept to a minimum.

Ms Coetzee commented:“We are delighted that the scheme is progressing well with minimal disruption.“As a local business, we are proud to be delivering this flagship infrastructure project for Wiltshire, a trusted client partner.“MJ Church is embedded within the local community with a significant proportion of our workforce living in the region.“The A350 has further enabled our business to offer more social value projects, building on our existing sustainability strategy to enhance local prosperity.”

The total cost of the project stands at £32 million, with £26.625 million provided by the Department for Transport. The remaining funds will be contributed by Wiltshire Council.

The completed upgrade aims to boost access to Bumpers Farm industrial estate, alleviate congestion, and improve travel times along this key corridor connecting to the M4 motorway.