Wildlife near Weston-super-Mare’s motorway junction is being moved ahead of work starting on a multi-million pound scheme to improve traffic congestion.

Work on the Weston Package at junction 21 is due to start this winter and will include road widening to increase the capacity of traffic flow at the roundabout, a dedicated lane on the A370 outbound approach to the roundabout and signals to improve access to and from the M5 motorway and the A370.

Badger and reptile exclusion fencing has been installed along the southeast and southwest verges of the M5 Junction 21 roundabout in order to gradually move the wildlife before the work begins.

Natural England gave North Somerset Council a licence for the exclusion fencing and work was completed before the badger breeding season.