Somerset County Council confirmed this week that work to improve drainage at a notorious flooding blackspot - Dragon's Cross at Bilbrook - will mean the road will be out of bounds to vehicles between 9am and 3.30pm on weekdays from November 4.

Although diversions will be in place for cars and light vehicles between Washford Cross, Dunster and Minehead, vehicles over 18 tons or 9.5 metres in length will be unable to use the alternative route.

They will only be allowed through the closed-off section twice a day - at 11am and 1.30pm.

But bus companies have yet to be informed of the closure and as yet there is no information available on how services will run, as they will be hit by the large vehicle restrictions.

The diversions will take motorists from Washford Cross on the B3190 to Raleghs Cross, the B3224 to Heathpoult Cross, on to Machine Cross and along the A396 to Wheddon Cross to rejoin the A39 at Dunster.

The closure sparked fury when it was revealed to Williton Parish Council at a meeting on Monday.

West Somerset councillor Eddie May, who represents the village on the district authority, said he had complained to the county council and he hoped others would as well.

"This will affect delivery lorries, emergency vehicles - it's not been thought through," he said.

Cllr Rosemary Woods said it almost seemed as though there was a move "to shut West Somerset down."

"People are going to find it very difficult to get to Minehead - it's ridiculous."

And Cllr Rebecca James said the council should express its concern to the county authority at the unacceptable length of the closure.

Councillors also questioned why the work could not be carried out overnight.

Council chairman Cllr Robert McDonald told the Free Press yesterday (Thursday) that the closure would cause total chaos.

"This really hasn't been thought through at all," he said.

"It will impact on so many different people and businesses, from visitors to Butlins to delivery vehicles for shops in Minehead.

"My concern is for Watchet because local people will not use the diversion over Exmoor - they will go via Blue Anchor.

"Watchet is going to get absolutely hammered."

Meanwhile Tim Gardner, managing director of WebberBus Ltd, which runs services on the Williton to Minehead route, said his company had yet to be told about the closure.

He said Transporting Somerset, the county council unit that supports public bus services and the management of commercial bus services and car schemes, also knew nothing of the closure.

"This seems to be a classic case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing," said Mr Gardner.

"This will have huge implications and for a road closure for this length of time and on such a key route I would have expected to have received at least two months notice.

"It's not that easy to make amendments to timetables or journey times.

"This is a licensed bus route and the county council has a statutory obligation to make alternative arrangements.

"This closure will affect thousands of people. I can't see any reason why the work couldn't be carried out overnight - it might cost the local authority more but what about the cost implications for everyone else if this goes ahead?"

A county council spokesman said the temporary closure would be in force from Monday to Friday for three weeks to allow work to improve highway drainage by the Dragon House Hotel.

"The A39 at Bilbrook was badly affected by flooding on several occasions last winter which caused widespread disruption," he said.

He said the road closure had been carefully times to minimise disruption.

The spokesman said the authority would be following normal procedure by advertising the closure with a public notice as required next Friday (October 18) - the third week before closure, while bus companies would be written to at the start of next week.

He said it had actually acted beyond and above by contacting local businesses serviced by large lorries and other haulage firms in advance to warn them.

"We know these works will inevitably have an impact on road users and apologise for any inconvenience but we hope people will understand that they are necessary in the long run to make essential improvements to a key road through West Somerset."