Somerset Council has announced a £5 million investment over the next three years to address numerous visible issues affecting the county’s road network. Approved by the executive committee on April 1, the refreshed maintenance strategy focuses on improving key elements such as clearing gullies, trimming vegetation, repairing damaged signs, and repainting faded road markings.
Within the current financial year, £2 million of the total budget has been allocated, with the remaining £3 million scheduled in forthcoming budgets. This new funding supersedes an earlier £350,000 pledge by the Somerset Rivers Authority for gully clearing, which will now be diverted to other projects.
Councillor Richard Wilkins, who oversees transport and waste services, emphasized the council’s commitment to meeting residents' concerns. He highlighted the importance of tackling “high-visibility” problems that impact day-to-day experiences, including obstructed footways, clogged drains, and deteriorating signage.
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The £2 million designated for this year includes £1 million from an underspend in last year’s budget, and £1 million newly approved in February by the full council. Vegetation management will be carried out by council teams, while contractors Keir will handle gully clearing and road marking on main A- and B-roads under existing maintenance agreements.
In addition to infrastructure improvements, some funds will be allocated to litter clearance and graffiti removal, with local parish and town councils helping to prioritize efforts.
Mike O’Dowd-Jones, the council’s service director for infrastructure and transport, explained that the new funding enables the council to go beyond its typical focus on safety-critical maintenance. Plans include an expanded gully-emptying program targeting flood-prone areas, and a flexible approach to address emerging concerns swiftly.
Over the next year, around 65,000 additional gullies will be cleared, concentrating on regions vulnerable to rare but significant flooding events. Councillor Mike Rigby praised the initiative for responding to resident feedback, noting that well-funded active travel routes lose value if quickly overwhelmed by overgrown vegetation and debris.
Alongside the increased maintenance spending, the council will enhance its public reporting system to make it easier for residents to report road and path issues directly.
However, despite demands from the public and councillors alike, pothole repair funding remains separate from this new investment. Councillor Sarah Wakefield questioned the approach to potholes, highlighting frustrations with patchy repairs that leave neighboring potholes unattended.
In response, Councillor Wilkins confirmed that these funds do not cover potholes. Nevertheless, he reassured that Somerset fares better than many other counties in pothole management, continually monitoring best practice to optimize repair strategies.
A recent Department for Transport evaluation ranked Somerset Council 26th out of 153 local authorities, awarding it an overall amber rating for its management of road maintenance funding—a reflection of steady but improvable performance.