Region: North Somerset

The next major bus improvement scheme planned for North Somerset will take place from Monday 17 November until May 2026, on the A38 Lime Kiln roundabout near Bristol.  

During these works, there will be a lane closures in place on each arm of the junction for the majority of the scheme, and night time works taking place in early May. The works will not stop access through the junction.  

The A38 Lime Kiln roundabout is a major junction on the outskirts of Bristol. The Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) scheme will deliver a package of future-proofing infrastructure changes to help secure bus service reliability and frequency as well as improvements for general traffic capacity for all road users.  

Lime Kiln scheme will include: 

• bus lanes on the A38 approaches to the roundabout to allow buses to bypass queuing traffic
• new bus priority traffic lights at the ends of the new bus lanes to give buses priority when joining the roundabout 
• installing a toucan crossing for pedestrians and cyclists on the Colliters Way arm and the A38 Bristol Airport arm of the roundabout. 

Cllr Hannah Young, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at North Somerset Council, said “These final plans have been created following engagement with residents and passengers, and I want to thank everyone that took part in the online consultation back at the start of the year.  

We currently have between 13 and 16 scheduled buses that use the Lime Kiln junction every hour of every day, carrying over 120,000 passenger journeys a month and we expect that number to increase in the future. 

The Lime Kiln scheme offers a comprehensive package of changes for the A38 which will help improve capacity for general traffic and in time, relieve traffic to the airport. It will also allow buses to bypass traffic, improving journey times and general reliability.” 

The works at the Lime Kiln roundabout are part of bigger improvements for the A38 corridor. These include:  

• 150 upgraded bus stops and shelters 
• new transport hubs, which include more comfortable seating and Real Time Information points to see when your next bus is arriving 
• improved fares, working with bus operators to get more affordable and reliable journeys  

The improvements are funded by UK Government through the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), to stabilise and improve North Somerset’s bus network, so that it can stand the test of time for our residents. Read more at: www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bsip.  

original press release by North Somerset Council