Motorists traveling through Chard should prepare for significant evening delays as Somerset Council begins essential resurfacing work on the A358, a key north-south route through the town. Starting Friday, April 17, the road will be closed each weekday evening from 6:30pm to 11:30pm until Tuesday, May 5, to allow contractor Heidelberg Materials to repair potholes and improve the road surface.
This stretch of the A358—from the junction with Chardstock Lane near the town allotments to just outside Chard Leisure Centre—will be inaccessible during these hours. To accommodate traffic, a diversion route will be in place directing drivers around the closures via Tatworth and Cricket St. Thomas. This detour could add nearly ten miles to journeys, significantly increasing travel time for commuters and freight vehicles alike.
Access for local residents and businesses within the closure zone will be maintained where possible, with Somerset Council committed to minimising disruption throughout the works. The road will remain open as usual during weekends and over the May Day bank holiday.
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Drivers traveling toward Chard from the south will be rerouted along the A358 Tatworth Road before following the B3167 through South Chard and Tatworth. This route joins the A30 Roman Road near Cricket St. Thomas Golf Club, continuing west to rejoin the A358 at the Convent Link junction. Similarly, traffic traveling from Chard to Axminster will follow the reverse path. While smaller vehicles might find alternative local roads to shorten their detours, these will not be marked as official diversions.
Somerset Council has also announced further surface dressing work planned for early June on the A30 Crewkerne Road and A30 St. Rayn’s Hill near Crewkerne, promising additional road maintenance in the area.