Ongoing roadworks on the Devon-Somerset border will extend into the Christmas season as a much-needed repair project has been delayed. Since July 2021, drivers using the A30 have been navigating temporary lights at Crawley Farm, located between Chard and Yarcombe.
The lights were initially installed by Devon County Council after a landslip threatened the eastbound carriageway, resulting in several minutes of delays for motorists. In April, the council announced plans to remove the lights and undertake the road repairs in the autumn, with an estimated budget of around £400,000 for the project.
However, the council has now rescheduled the scheme for early-January 2024, signaling ongoing disruptions for drivers throughout the Christmas and New Year period. The A30 is a vital route between Chard and Honiton and serves as a crucial diversionary road when the A303 around Ilminster experiences congestion.
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It also forms one of the primary routes through the Blackdown Hills national landscape, with the affected section in close proximity to the Ferne Animal Sanctuary and the popular South Somerset Holiday Park. According to the council’s official roadworks portal, the road reopening work is set to commence on January 8, 2024, with the completion of the scheme and removal of the lights expected by March 15.
A spokesperson stated, “The work will primarily be completed under two-way traffic lights, with road closures required for specific activities during the works. These closures are expected to last for a couple of days at a time, possibly extending up to a week, and advance notice will be provided to the public.” In April, the council emphasized that the road closure was necessary to prevent further weakening of the bank by traffic entering Somerset, which posed risks to motorists, pedestrians, and the nearby farm.
The spokesperson explained, “The traffic lights have been put in place to safeguard individuals by ensuring they maintain a safe distance from the collapsed edge when passing by. This also prevents the weight of traffic from causing additional instability to the bank. The delay in completing the work has been mainly due to site challenges and constraints, including overhead cables, access issues, and the proximity to the farm and livestock.
“Various alternative designs have been explored, but unfortunately, they have not been feasible due to limitations in either working from the road, necessitating a complete road closure, or maneuvering large machinery into the farm and working from below.”