Road closed after drivers ignore one-way system

A busy town centre route will be closed for the next six months after a number of "near misses" involving traffic ignoring a one-way system.

Work on Bridgwater's new £9m Celebration Mile scheme is already under way on Eastover and Angel Crescent, with work on the Clarence Street section due to begin in February.

Somerset Council originally planned to work on Eastover using a one-way system, finishing in October, but the decision has now been made to close it fully.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the council said it had also found "unmapped utilities under the road" which "have made work more complicated and impossible to do safely without a full road closure".

The council encountered similar issues delaying the delivery of parts of a fellow regeneration scheme in Yeovil, a scheme that was also implemented by contractors Taylor Woodrow - also known as South West Highways.

Faye Cross, the company's community engagement manager, set out the details of the disruption in a letter seen by the LDRS.

In it she said workers had "already experienced near-misses" as a result of traffic "failing to comply with the current one-way system".

She added the full road closure would allow work to be completed sooner and "should reduce some of the inconvenience to businesses" and limit "uncertainty for traders and residents".

Eastover is closed to all traffic and will remain shut for up to six months, though it will reopen sooner if work can be completed ahead of schedule.

Throughout this time pedestrians will still be able to access shops along the road, while access to London Court will remain in place for both vehicles and pedestrians via Eastover from the east.

Temporary loading bays for traders will be installed at the taxi rank on East Quay, along with further bays on Church Street, New Road, Salmon Parade and Watsons Lane.

Councillor Mike Rigby, portfolio holder for economic development, planning and assets said "with works of this scale, some disruption is unavoidable".

"This wasn't the original plan," he added, "but as with all projects like this there are often unexpected complications that force a change of approach."

Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.