The closure of a key section of the B3152 Station Road near Castle Cary railway station in Somerset has been extended until the end of July, affecting travel plans throughout the summer holidays. The ongoing roadworks, which originated in July 2021, are linked to repairs caused by ground instability and infrastructure damage, linked in part to nearby housing development activities by Persimmon Homes Severn Valley.
Temporary traffic lights were installed by Somerset Council in July 2024 between Almsford Close and Victoria Gardens to manage traffic safely while longer-term repairs were planned. In early February, the council confirmed that comprehensive repairs, including fixing a persistent sinkhole and resurfacing the road, would commence shortly after.
Originally, the repair work conducted by contractor Crestmoors was scheduled to be completed by July 1. However, the closure has now been extended until July 31 due to the discovery of additional damaged infrastructure. Councillor Henry Hobhouse, representing Castle Cary, explained that new ducting installations revealed a sewer damaged by the neighboring housing estate. This damage necessitated extensive repairs that cannot be made safely while the road is open, thus prolonging the closure.
As part of these essential repairs, improvements will also be made to a culvert beneath the road that channels a local stream away from the Fairfield public open space. The repair work is complicated by the presence of multiple underground services, including a gas pipe that requires additional support where it was previously exposed by the sinkhole.
Motorists traveling south of Castle Cary toward the railway station must follow a diversion route via Torbay Road near the Crown Pet Foods factory, then Blackworthy Road, and onto the B3153 Station Road. This detour may add up to ten minutes to journeys. Rail passengers aiming for Castle Cary town center are advised to use the same diversion in reverse, access the town via A371 Ansford Hill from the east, or take the pedestrian path south of the station.
In addition to these improvements, Somerset Council is expected to shortly announce a new bus service connecting Castle Cary railway station with Glastonbury and surrounding villages, further enhancing local transport options during this period of disruption.