MOTORISTS are being asked to help support a bid for funding to improve the drive into Taunton for thousands of commuters and shoppers.

Improvement schemes at Junction 25 of the M5 and the Toneway corridor from the junction to the Obridge roundabout are being promoted by Somerset County Council through the Local Enterprise Partnership and the Local Transport Board.

They are viewed as key to easing long-term congestion and easing traffic flow in Taunton, but the bids for Government funding cannot be made without gathering certain information from motorists.

Road side interviews are being held in Taunton over two to three days next month, when road users will be interviewed about where they have come from, where they’re travelling to and the purpose of their journey.

Cllr Harvey Siggs, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “Without the important data our officers will gather during these road side interviews, funding bids for these essential transport improvements would not be possible and we would see no improvement to congestion in these areas.

“We appreciate there may be some delays during the interviews, but I would ask all road users to co-operate fully to help us in our efforts to fund long-term solutions.”

There will also be data collection at key junctions, counting turns and performing automated traffic counts, but they will not cause any disruption to traffic in the town.