On Wednesday, the Highway Superintendent was call to an incident reporting highway edge loss on Bonniton Lane, just off the A396 heading towards Nutcombe Bottom. However, on inspection it was identified that a tree had been blown over during the recent storms taking the road edge and supporting embankment.
The initial response from our highway service provider Milestone, who were concerned about further failure, was to close the road. This we appreciate would cause massive disruption to the communities that live in this area and use this road regularly, so a concession was made to keep the road open but to impose a temporary weight limit of 3.5t on this section of road and will be installed shortly with the required regulatory signs and temporary traffic regulation order.
We did consider including a width restriction as well, but with a measured carriageway width of 2.3m and we could be implementing a restriction of approximately 2m, but with the high number of 4×4 using this area we could end up restricting these vehicles as some are over 2.1m.
There are also several logging works being carried out in the area and we have been in contact with these companies along with the Forestry Commission to explain the problem and to ask for their cooperation in avoiding this location with equipment and loads over 3.5t.
In the meantime, the damage has been escalated to our Structures Team and they will be carrying out an assessment on the best course of stabilisation and repair, which we will update this group once we hear back.
Kali Martin, Assistant Highway Service Manager, West Area – Formerly Somerset West and Taunton
Somerset Council
0300 123 2224
Timberscombe 