Motorists visiting Brean and Burnham during the summer holiday season could face lengthy delays after it was announced on Friday (May 19th) that several key roads in our area are to be resurfaced as part of a countywide highways project.
More than 450 roads across Somerset – including several in Burnham and Brean – are to be resurfaced with a layer of bitumen and laid over with stone-chippings to extend their life.
County Council spokeswoman Jan Hookings told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Several roads in the Burnham area are included on the list.”
“These will be Rectory Road, Highbridge Road, Oaktree Place, and Inner Farm Lane at Edithmead.”
“We’ll also be resurfacing a stretch of road in Brean that runs from the junction at Weston Road up to Brean Down.”
All of the work is to take place between now and late August – prompting concerns that holidaymakers in the area could be left to sit in lengthy queues.
Town councillor Peter Clayton told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “There is very little money spent in this area by Somerset County Council so we shouldn’t be too critical at this stage, but I do find it very strange that they have decided to do this work at the height of our summer season. I can only assume the roads have been neglected for so long they are in urgent need of attention.”
“I wouldn’t want to hold up any urgent work but I think we must communicate more and inform the County that this is a tourist area and vast amounts of traffic are generated during the summer months. I would hope there is a rethink and the works are done at a time where there is least disruption to tourists and residents alike.”
But County Councillor Tony Shire, who oversees highways in Somerset, said: “Every effort is to be made to keep disruption to a minimum. Residents and adjacent landowners are notified by letter of the resurfacing work and drivers should look out for advance warning signs.”
He added that the resurfacing work – which can prolong the life of a road by up to ten years – can only be undertaken in the summer months when roads are warm and dry.
But councillors look set to call on the County Council to provide a firm date for when the work is scheduled.
