ILMINSTER’S county councillor will be seeking assurances that businesses in the town will be supported as motorists face six weeks of road closure misery.

The roadworks planned on the B3168 come just weeks after The Beacon re-opened after a lengthy closure due to a landslip.

Somerset County Council’s Highways team planned re-surfacing work at Ilford Bridges before the landslip at The Beacon but Cllr Linda Vijeh would like more information about plans to mitigate the impact on traders in the town.

She told The News: “I feel that the high level of concern in relation to the latest round of works planned on the B3168 at Puckington is justified, given the significant negative impact on Ilminster businesses as a result of the long-term closure of The Beacon last year.

“I appreciate that this closure is considered necessary for work to the drainage system but I would have hoped that as it has apparently been planned for several years some advance communication and discussion could have taken place with affected businesses prior to this.

“At the very least I will be seeking assurance that the work will not be taking place over the Easter holiday period and that carrying out work where possible under temporary traffic signals should be seen as the preferred option.

“The A358 diversion will, I know, cause problems. As a regular user of this route to and from Taunton I know only too well how congested it can be at the best of times.

“I would also like more information on the ‘additional measures'

mentioned in the response from highways. I know highways have a tough job to do – they are damned if they do and damned if they don’t – but I am aware that my responsibility lies with those that I have been elected to represent.”

A county council spokesman said the works have been in the pipeline for some time but were postponed when The Beacon was closed as the cracked road was on the recognised diversion route for these works.

The overall upgrade began on Monday and is scheduled to take six weeks, with work on the B3168 taking four weeks and work on the Stocklinch Lane junction set to last two weeks.

Cllr Harvey Siggs, Somerset County Council’s cabinet member for highways, said: “I am pleased that this scheme is finally able to take place. Everyone knows about the major rebuilding work which took place at The Beacon for large parts of last year and unfortunately one of the consequences of that was a delay to these essential improvements.

“We will be working hard to complete the work as quickly as possible but we’re aware there will be some disruption and I apologise for any inconvenience.

“We have been in discussion with local businesses and traders and additional signing, particularly for Barrington, Hambridge and Westport, will be provided on the official diversion route.”

A local diversion for light vehicles only will also operate during the works.