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Published:
May 19, 2006
Road
resurfacing project could leave Brean
and Burnham tourists
fuming
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.
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