THE determination and persistence of people in Ilminster has ensured work needed to fix New Road has not been put on the back burner, it has been claimed.

Since the route closed in mid- February, the News has bombarded Somerset County Council with requests for information and answers about when the road will re-open.

This week, the full extent of repairs has been revealed ahead of work which is set to start in three weeks.

Cllr Linda Vijeh, county council representative for Ilminster, said: “Despite the length of the time the road has been closed, it is due to the continued interest of local residents that has helped to get this moving and has ensured that the work has not been put on the back burner.”

Work, which highways bosses say will take eight weeks to complete, includes:

Carriageway failure site 1

  • Installation of a new highway drainage system and associated highway gullies over a length of about 300m.
  • Removal and reinstatement of about 100m of kerb.
  • Full-depth reconstruction of about 150 square metres of existing footway.
  • Full-depth reconstruction of about 750 square metres of existing carriageway.

Carriageway failure site 2

  • Full-depth reconstruction of about 200 square metres of existing carriageway.
  • Removal and reinstatement of about 75m of kerb.
  • Full-depth reconstruction of about 105 square metres of existing footway.

A 70-metre stretch of New Road, which connects Ilminster to villages north of the town, closed in mid-February after large cracks appeared and a landslip was feared.

After months of growing frustration over an apparent lack of work at the site, technical investigations were carried out which found ‘ground water saturation’ as the primary cause of structural damage.

Cllr Andrew Shearman, chairman of the planning, highways and transport committee on Ilminster Town Council, said he was sceptical about timings for the work.

He added: “I am pleased the work is going forward but I still have concerns it could run into the Christmas period and affect the trade of businesses.

On viewing the size of the work ahead, I have grave concerns it will probably overrun and most certainly if we get bad weather.”

Cllr Harvey Siggs, Somerset County Council’s cabinet member for Highways, said: “The safety of the public has always been our number one concern – I hope the road will be re-opened in time for Christmas.”