Bath and North East Somerset Council has announced its intention to recover the expenses incurred from urgent repair works after a substantial fuel oil spill resulted in the closure of the A37 for multiple days.
On 25 September, an extensive oil spill affected around 800 meters of the A37 between Pensford and the Chelwood roundabout, disrupting traffic and necessitating immediate action. Council highways officers, alongside the police and fire services, rapidly responded to the incident. Safety concerns forced the closure of the road, with diversions implemented to manage traffic flow.
The hazardous spill required urgent resurfacing to ensure the road was safe for reopening. Councillor Lucy Hodge, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport Delivery, praised the swift and effective emergency response: “Our highways teams, together with contractors, worked diligently through the night to resurface the road. Their efforts meant the A37 could reopen just two days after the spill.”
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The repair work covered over 6,000 square meters of highway—an area comparable to 23 tennis courts. The A37 was successfully reopened on 27 September following these extensive repairs.
The council confirmed it will pursue the responsible company to recover the costs associated with the emergency repair works.