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Locals fear roadworks will cause 'rat-run chaos'

Ross Pollard
BBC News, Somerset
BBC The concrete road into Wellington. It looks faded, worn down and needs resurfacing. There are trees and grassy banks on either side of the road.BBC
The concrete road between the M5 and Wellington was built in 1974

Local residents say they are concerned the impending closure of a major road will cause "chaos", as traffic is diverted through nearby villages.

Junction 26 of the M5 and the Chelston Link Road in Wellington will be closed from 16 June until September as part of major resurfacing works being overseen by Somerset Council.

Flood prevention work will also be carried out at the junction, while the current concrete road will be crushed up and used as foundation for the new tarmac.

The authority has held a series of public drop-in sessions so people can study the scheme.

A couple outside a council drop-in session at Wellington in Somerset. The woman on the left is wearing a brown sunglasses and a white t-shirt with brown flowers on the front. She has short curly hair and is smiling at the camera. The man on the right has short white hair which is balding on the top and is wearing a blue pullover sweatshirt, also smiling at the camera.
Judy and Jonah Jones fear their small village will become a "rat-run" to through traffic

The extended closure of the road and motorway junction have left many people worried that alternative routes in Wellington will become heavily congested throughout the summer.

Hear more about the M5 junction closure

Judy and Jonah Jones from Nynehead, who attended a council drop-in session, say "panic" was the first word that sprang to mind upon hearing of the closures.

The couple fear emergency services would struggle to reach them when the roads around them become congested, adding: "How do we get help if we need help?"

A couple stand outside of a council drop-in session. The woman on the left has blonde hair cut into a short bob, and is wearing a blue patterned blouse. The man on the right is wearing a blue checked shirt, grey suspenders, black sunglasses and a straw brimmed hat.
Ken and Christine Winhall worry the traffic will get worse on the A38

Ken and Christine Winhall from Wellington also said they expect the diversions to cause significant "chaos".

"All the traffic will back up to Taunton," she said. "It's going to affect our daily lives really, because people drive from Wellington to Taunton all the time."

The pair also pointed to the poor condition of alternative roads mapped out by the council, saying some are plagued by potholes.

Black and white map of the region around Wellington in Somerset, showing yellow boxes and arrows to indicate which areas will be affected by the closures.
People will have to drive to Wellington via alternative routes while the 14-week scheme is carried out

The council has insisted the road and junction must to be completely closed to carry out the resurfacing work.

Councillor Richard Wilkins, cabinet member for transport and waste services, said: "It's not going to be easy, there's no two ways of saying it.

"But we're only afforded the [time] slots that we had available."

The authority said it will listen and adapt to feedback from local people as the works progress.

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