SOMERSET NEWS: More roadworks planned for Bridgwater area

THE Bridgwater area is set to face further traffic disruption in the weeks ahead with news that £500,000 is being invested to improve the condition of two key roads.

Urgent night time resurfacing work will be carried out in March on an 800m stretch of the A39, Quantock Road, and a 700m stretch of the C182, Otterhampton.

The cost of £500,000 for the two schemes will come from the Department for Transport's £1.6million investment in maintenance of highways west of Bridgwater as part of the Hinkley Growth Deal.

This funding is for improvement works in advance of the main Hinkley Point C building programme and Somerset County Council has organised for the work to be carried out in the evening and overnight to minimise disruption.

News of the planned work comes on top of the ongoing EDF roadworks on the Taunton Road and Broadway junction in Bridgwater, which could take around a year to complete, and causing horrendous traffic congestion in the town.

The work for the C182 Otterhampton, from Knaplock   Lane to Stockland   Bristol Road, will take place between 7pm and 5am and the work for A39 Quantock Road, eastern end, will take place between 7pm and 5am. Both works will exclude weekends.

The C182 works will start on Monday, March 9, 2015, and is scheduled until Wednesday, March 18, 2015, although with good weather it could finish sooner. A finalised start date for the A39 works will depend on the completion of the C182 resurfacing. It is scheduled to run from Monday, March 16, 2015, until Friday, March 27, 2015 – but it will not actually start until the C182 works are finished.

Official diversion routes follow similar class roads. Local residents may know their own shorter alternatives.

Somerset County Council’s business, inwards investment and policy highways spokesman, Cllr David Hall, said: “A road closure is the only option to carry out these essential maintenance works and by doing the work at night we hope to minimise disruption as much as possible.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused in the short-term, but hope people will understand that these schemes are crucial in preparing the roads for increased traffic flow in the longer-term.”

Somerset County Council is working closely with EDF Energy, West Somerset and Sedgemoor District Councils and other partners to maximise the positive economic benefits for local communities and businesses, as well as minimising impacts from Hinkley Point C and its construction.

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