Sir John Butterfill, Bournemouth West MP

Adrian Flook
Taunton MP

"As well as providing the solution to the heavy traffic through Henlade, upgrading the A358 will provide the key to keep the door to Taunton and West Somerset open for business, jobs and prosperity."

David Heath, Somerton & Frome MP

Jim Knight MP
Weymouth and South Dorset

"There are profound economic reasons why Dorset needs a connection that cuts across the radial routes out of London. I fully support the campaign to have the A358 improved as soon as possible."

David Laws MP
(LibDem) for Yeovil

"I support the campaign for upgrading the A358. At present, this is one of the busiest and most congested roads in the South West, yet it is an absolutely vital traffic artery for both businesses and residents in my constituency. The alternative solution of dualling the A303 over the Blackdown Hills would fail to deal with the problem of an adequate road link with the northbound M5, and Taunton, and it would also be hugely controversial in terms of its environmental impact. The A358 upgrade, therefore, offers us the best prospects both of getting a viable scheme off the ground and addressing our local and regional transport problems."

Ian Liddell-Grainger, Bridgwater MP

Bob Spink, Castlepoint MP

Robert Syms, Poole MP

Graham Watson, South West MEP Leader of the Liberal Democrat and Reform Party in the European Parliament

Ashcombe Developments of Yeovil

“We strongly support the dualling of the A358 which would be easier, quicker and less costly…. Can common sense prevail just this once?”

Dr Barrie Blake-Coleman

Tony Bridger
Chief Executive Dorset Chamber of Commerce

“Any upgrade to the infrastructure in the South West is good news and of these two possibilities, current indicators point to the A358 as being of more benefit to our region.”

Sir Ewen Cameron
Chairman of the Countryside Agency

Campaign to Preserve Rural England, South West

Clark Willmott, Taunton, Bristol and Southampton

Freight Transport Association

"The A358 is a clear priority for investment as the upgrade will help to ensure the economic prosperity of the county in the short term. And we also recognise the importance of the A303 on a wider regional basis. However, we firmly believe that the ‘quick win’ of upgrading the A358 will deliver significant benefits in reducing peak hour congestion."

Haynes Publishing Group plc
Sparkford

Henshaw Inflatables, Wincanton.

Sir Michael Lickiss
Chairman, Visit Britain

"I strongly support the plans to dual and trunk the A358 between Ilminster and the M5 at Junction 25. This work is urgently required if we are to meet the growing demands of the Tourism Industry in Somerset and the South West of England."

Mendip Strategic Partnership

Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton

North Devon Chamber of Commerce

"We strongly support the development of the A358 "missing link" in order to cement and develop the road infrastructure to Northern Devon. 50% of our economy is in tourism or manufacturing and depends almost entirely on a sound road system.”

North Devon District Council
Leader Malcolm Prowse

"NDDC believes improvements to the A358 in this congested part of the South West will result in major benefits to the district. As a region, we need to get on with this as soon as possible."

Northern Devon Freight Quality Partnership

North Devon Marketing Bureau

Portland Port, Dorset

"The A358 is a vital component of Portland Port's (and South and West Dorset's) route to its markets in Wales, the Midlands and the North. The A303 takes business away from much of Dorset and improving it would only further isolate the county."

Jonathon Porritt, Chairman of the Sustainable Development Commission and member of the South West Regional Development Agency

"In view of the Highways Agency report, which seems unambiguously to favour the A358 over the A303/A30, I feel that the right decision would be to go with the expert opinion, even if in the eyes of many environmentalists this is still the lesser of two environmentally damaging options. For me, the A358 should definitely be the option for the Assembly to choose."

Quedam Shopping Centre, Yeovil

Relyon of Wellington, Somerset

Screwfix, Yeovil

Somerset Business Forum

Somerset Chamber of Commence

Somerset College and Arts and Technology

Somerset County Council

Somerset Devon Freight Quality Partnership

Somerset Learning and Skills Council

Somerset Minerals Forum

"The A358/M5 represents a far better route for HGV’s in terms of flexibility, journey time reliability and overall environmental impact."

Julian Stainton
WPA insurers

“The South West is poised for economic growth. We have the resources, manpower, educational facilities and countryside. The A358 is an additional vital conduit to bring economic benefits into the region.”

Dr Nigel Stone, Exmoor National Park Officer

"As well as avoiding further disturbance to the Blackdown Hills AONB, the A358 alternative would provide an enhanced road connection between Western Somerset and North Devon with the South and South East to the potential benefit of the local economy, including Exmoor."

Tony Wardell, Managing Director of Swallowfield plc

“Improving the A358 between Ilminster and Taunton will be a major boost for business in the south west and is clearly the best value for money. At present traffic flow around the county town is really difficult especially for local businesses. The dualling of the A358 would help improve traffic flow enormously. When there is limited money in the Chancellor’s purse we must choose our priorities carefully. The A358 is our number one priority.”

Brian Tanner
Chairman, Taunton Vision Commission.

"As chairman of Taunton Vision Commission, I am in no doubt about the benefits to the town of improving the A358, but it is clearly of equal benefit to the South West as a whole.

I welcome and endorse anything that brings about an early start to this important work."

John Williams, leader of Taunton Deane Borough Council

“Taunton is strategically located at the cross roads in the centre of the region and this road investment will help us to become a Regional Centre of Excellence and play a much wider role in the region than we have in the past”.

Taunton Primary Care Trust

Taunton Town Centre Partnership

Lord Williamson
Somerset Strategic Partnership

"There's no doubt that the A358 is in real need of improvement as part of the strategic development of the region's road network. We believe this can be achieved with the minimum impact on our beautiful county but with the maximum benefit to its economy and development. We urge the Government to approve the scheme as soon as possible."

Wiveliscombe Chamber of Commerce