SOMERSET Council will be resurfacing one of West Somerset’s key routes from mid-May for two and a half weeks.
Work on the A396 along Cutcombe Hill are being undertaken by contractors Heidelberg and will be carried out from Thursday, May 15, to Monday, June 2, inclusive and a signed diversion will be in place.
The Cutcombe Hill road will be closed to vehicles from 9.30am to 3.30pm on weekdays, from the Ashwell Lane junction for 1.65km. The road will be open as normal outside these hours – this will include the late May Bank Holiday and Cutcombe Market day on May 28.
Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout for residents. There may be some restrictions or delays for vehicle access on occasion to some properties and residents should liaise with the site team on this.
Somerset Council’s lead member for transport and waste services, Councillor Richard Wilkins, said: “This is an important scheme for a busy, vital route on Exmoor.
“We understand that road closures can be inconvenient, and we have carefully considered various options to minimise disruption. Evening and night work was considered; however, due to the significant drop from the road edge down the valley, it was deemed unsafe to conduct work during these hours. Safety is our top priority, and we believe that working during daylight hours will ensure the well-being of our workers.
“The team will do its best to get the work completed as quickly and painlessly as possible - please do liaise with them if you are a resident and need to raise any issues around access.
“We are extremely grateful to residents for their support and understanding while this work is done.”