Public utilities including communications, water, electricity and gas often to have to dig up the local roads for repairs or lay new services. If a road needs to be closed, they must seek legal permission from the highways authority and let people know. Here are details of the notices published every week in the West Somerset Free Press, letting people know where the planned works are due to take place.

Brown Lane, near the village of Huish Champflower, is set to be closed for seven days. From January 6 to January 12, an 832 metre stretch southwards of the junction with Raleigh’s Cross and Beulah chapel will be inaccessible as Openreach carry out works.

Openreach will be conducting an underground transfer of plant works, giving cause for a closure along Carhampton road in the Parish of Carhampton. The closure will run from the junction with Grove Road, extending in a northerly direction for 830 metres. The works will take place between January 20 and January 24.

Perry New Road in Brushford will be closed for nine days. The closure will extend 1197 metres, between the junction with Station Road to the junction with Road North from Snapbox Cross. Works will be carried out between 8.00 am and 6.00 pm.

Townsend Road in Minehead is scheduled for a partial closure between the hours of 9.30 am until 3.30 pm on January 23. The closure will run from house number 54 in an easterly direction for five metres while Openreach lay new cable.

In Stogumber, the road from Hartrow Gate Cross to Ashbeer Hill will be closed. As Openreach carry out works, the road from the junction with Ashbeer Hill to the junction with Hartrow Gate Cross, a 1505 metre span, will be closed from January 12 to January 25.

Porlock Weir Road in Porlock will be closed on January 15. In order that Openreach can replace a D pole, a 441-metre stretch, travelling eastward, will be shut between the hours of 6.00 am and 2.00 pm.

From January 20 to January 23, there will be a temporary closure in Clatworthy, of the route between Forches Cross and Brompton Ralph. Covering a distance of 671 metres eastward from the junction, the restrictions are expected to remain in force for five days between January 23 and January 27. Works are set to take place day and night.

In Cutcombe Parish, Horsecombe Lane is set to be closed. The stretch proceeding from the junction with Tabbitts Steep, south eastwards and incorporating Thorne Lane to the junction with Oldrey Lane, will be closed from January 13. The road is expected to reopen on January 15. Works will take place between the hours of 9.30 am and 3.50 pm.

An 85-metre length along Mill Lane of Brushford Parish will be shut from January 10 to January 11. Allowing tree cutting and D pole renewals by Openreach, the closures which run a 152-metre stretch from a point 85-metres north of the B3222 Junction will take place between the hours of 9.30 am and 3.30 pm.

See the full details in the Public Notices section of this week's West Somerset Free Press