'Chaos' as three-month-long roadworks begin

Motorists have been warned to expect three months of disruption as gas and electricity works next to an ongoing housing development begin.

A one-way system will be in place for 12 weeks on the A358 Staplegrove Road, allowing traffic into Taunton, Somerset. Outbound vehicles will be diverted via Wellington Road and Silk Mills Road.

Residents said there was "absolute chaos" and gridlock when the works began earlier, while business owners have voiced concerns about the impact on trade.

Somerset Council said upgrading ageing gas services and the electrical network now, mostly during the school holidays, would cause less disruption than if it was done later on in the housing development.

Annie Collins, who volunteers at a charity shop in Norton Fitzwarren and lives in Creech St Michael, is concerned about the longer journey times. For her, it is an extra five miles (8km).

"With people wanting to drop donations off, I don't think they're going to go out of their way to sit in traffic... so it's going to slow us down, which is a shame," she said.

Bob Clark, who lives near the roundabout where the one-way system begins, said it was "absolute chaos" earlier when drivers did not know about the works and attempted to turn around.

"It was very difficult for me and residents to exit our housing estate," he said.

Clark said that new signage installed later in the morning has helped ease some of the issues.

He is worried about the impact on residents along the diversion route where traffic was gridlocked, especially on Bindon Road.

"You won't be able to get out of your road probably," he said.

Joshua Collins, who manages the Rings of Bells pub in Norton Fitzwarren, said the roadworks would make it harder for customers to travel to his venue.

He added that the works will also impact their deliveries and could force them to spend more on drivers' wages.

The roadworks by Wales and West Utilities (WWU) and National Grid along Staplegrove Road and Minehead Road started earlier and run until October.

The working hours will be 07:30 BST to 18:00, Monday to Friday, but the lanes will not reopen outside of those times.

At the same time, developer Bloor Homes and its contractors will continue building a junction to access its development site on the A358 junction with Silk Mills Road.

Bloor Homes has permission to build more than 700 houses to the north of A358 in the western part of the Staplegrove urban extension, which could eventually see 1,600 new homes.

A spokesperson for Somerset Council said its aim was for no further utility works to be needed after Bloor completes its A358 works in September 2027.

"Bringing the utility works and development-related highway works together under a single coordinated programme reduces the need for further major traffic management and excavation works once the development infrastructure has been completed," they added.

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