PLANS to shut a 0.3 mile stretch of road in Chard could see drivers told to travel more than 22 miles extra.

A358 Furnham Road is set to be refurbished this financial year, and two district councillors are holding an independent consultation next week.

If the 0.3 mile stretch of road is closed, a diversion will be in place meaning drivers will have to travel 22.8 miles.

If these plans go ahead, traffic will be diverted 22.8 miles along the A303 and the A30 and back into Chard from there. Thorndun Park Drive and Cuttifords Door are not the official diverted route.

This would take drivers 37 minutes instead of the current estimated one minute.

The consultation session set up by Cllrs Amanda Broom and Garry Shortland will be on Tuesday, April 11, from 5.30pm to 6.30pm in the Guildhall Foyer.

Cllr Broom said: "We have been meeting with residents who say they are blighted by the noises from the current damaged road.

"Although there will be disruption, the resurfacing is absolutely critical and is welcomed."

The councillors’ open consultation session is for any resident or business to attend.

It will be an opportunity for comments or concerns to be raised in plenty of time ahead of the resurfacing.

A spokesperson for Somerset County Council said: “We intend to resurface the A358 at Furnham Road this financial year. We recognise the sensitivity of the area and will be undertaking a substantial communications exercise, similar to that which was carried out in advance of the recently completed resurfacing of the High Street.

“We will do this as soon as we are in a position to confirm specific details and will liaise with Chard Town Council and other key stakeholders leading up to and throughout the work.”

According to Cllr Broom, the current resurfacing plan is to carry out work overnight, between 6.30pm to 7am across five nights from Thursday, June 15 to Wednesday, June 21.

Work would not be carried out over the weekend.