Locals celebrate as ‘disruptive’ roadworks finish a week early

Locals are celebrating as a long and disruptive roadworks scheme near Yeovil ^[1] has been completed a week earlier than first planned.

The closure of the A30 at West Coker has frustrated motorists since late July. However, the busy route fully reopened on Friday (August 25) – with the project finished well before the previously scheduled completion date of September 4.

Resurfacing work and traffic light repairs were undertaken on a section of the A30 during the closure. Somerset Council’s Highways teams resurfaced 7,000sqm of West Coker’s High Street and replaced ageing traffic signals on a narrow section of the road.

New road surface in West Coker (Image: Len Copland)

Somerset Council chairman Mike Best was on hand to officially open the road during a “rope cutting” ceremony in West Coker. The rope was chosen due to the village’s historic connection with rope making – in the 1800s the Twineworks in the village, now a museum, supplied the Royal Navy with much of its rope.

“It was imperative we carried out these works as the traffic signals had to be repaired and in addition to this the road surface in West Coker was in urgent need of attention,” said Mike Rigby, Somerset Council’s lead member for transport and digital.

“The work was originally planned for last year but logistically that wasn’t possible. The planning and preparation for this scheme has been exemplary thanks to great partnership working between our contractor Centregreat and the Somerset Council team – not to mention the fantastic support from local council members and West Coker Parish Council, who have been pivotal in the smooth running of the scheme.

“Most importantly, I’d like to offer a heartfelt thanks to the local community who have been patient and supportive during a challenging time, with the main A30 route through their village closed for just over a month.”

References

^{^} Yeovil (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
^{^} Horse rescued as firefighters race to field in Somerset (www.somersetlive.co.uk)