Hundreds of road defects — including potholes and damaged surfaces — have been reported across the Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge area following a prolonged spell of heavy rainfall over recent weeks.
Somerset Council says more than 850 defects across the county were logged in one weekend alone, with highways teams now tackling over 3,500 issues county‑wide as the wet winter continues to take its toll on local roads.
Among the worst local routes are parts of Burnham’s Oxford Street, The Esplanade, Berrow Road, Victoria Street plus the A38 through Highbridge. The surface of the roundabout next to the Aldi and Costa drive-thru is especially poor.
Somerset Council leader Bill Revans described the situation across the county as a “pothole pandemic”, adding that the authority is already around £1 million over budget for repairs, with further damage expected to emerge as floodwater on the levels recedes.
He said: “We don’t yet know the full extent of the damage, especially on roads still under water. Our neighbouring councils are facing the same problems, and there are only so many contractors available to carry out repairs.”
The council says the persistent rain and flooding seen throughout January and February has created a significant challenge, both in terms of the scale of the damage and the cost of putting it right.
In November, Somerset Council had 15 crews working on potholes, but that number has almost doubled in response to the recent surge in reports.
A government spokesperson said it is investing £7.3bn over the next four years to help councils resurface roads and tackle what it called the national “pothole plague.”
Click here to report a local pothole to Somerset Council
