TRAFFIC chaos caused by the County Council’s £1 million cycle-path development on the A39 west of Dunster reached crisis point this week at the start of the second phase of the project.

There were reports of gridlocks from Seaward Way in Minehead reaching back to Washford and drivers taking up to an hour to travel two miles.

As protests dominated social media, civic and business leaders warned that unless the work was drastically speeded up, the hold-ups could have a serious effect on the forthcoming tourist season.

There were claims that already shoppers were taking their business elsewhere rather than risk   being trapped in traffic jams in Minehead.

This week a Somerset County Council Highways spokesman told the Free Press: “We appreciate there is an impact on road users, especially at peak times. This is a difficult balance between getting the path completed and keeping disruption to a minimum.”

 But local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger believed that the fresh delays caused by the roadworks were “disgraceful’.

He added: “The county council has not listened to or acted on any of the complaints there were last year. There are only a handful of workers on site, progress is being made at a barely discernible rate and there is a complete disregard for the needs of the travelling public.”

Work began last October on the £1 million project designed to make it easier and safer for people to walk and cycle to and from Minehead by widening and improving the existing footpath between Minehead and Marsh Lane, Dunster.

When the second stage of the project started this week, temporary traffic lights and a 40mph speed limit were installed on the A39 and will remain until at least May - the original finishing date was February.

Motorists reported that the lights and restricted road had immediately resulted in queues which every day this week stretched into the town centre, along Seaward Way from Butlin’s, and  back to at least  Carhampton and Bilbrook. Congestion was at its worst on Mondays and Fridays.

One driver in a grid-locked queue heading for Minehead said that it had taken him 50 minutes to travel two miles, another had taken over an hour to drive from Washford and a third was nearly 30 minutes late for a medical appointment.

Since work resumed on the controversial project, protests on social media have mounted. Candice Hodgkins said: “It’s a nightmare and absolutely pointless - a cycle path which won’t get used.”

Patience Lacy Smith said: “There are so many better things the county council could have spent our money on for the benefit of the town” and Ellie May Dyer added: “It’s beyond belief. Absolute chaos.”

Van driver Alan Norman from Watchet said: “Rather than making things safer, the widened cycle path could become an added risk. I saw a car drive on to it, mistaking it for part of the road, and other drivers have said the same.”

Minehead’s acting mayor, Cllr Toni Bloomfield, said she was very concerned that the emergency services were experiencing serious hold-ups and schoolchildren’s bus travel had been disrupted, resulting in some children being late for school.

“Many Minehead businesses have been seriously disrupted by what is happening on the A39. One knock-on effect is that people from surrounding areas who normally shop in Minehead are now going as far afield as Taunton because of the traffic-jams.”

 Mr Liddell-Grainger added: “My biggest fear is what happens if we get a major incident in the town and we need to get the emergency services on scene quickly.

“This situation is a complete disgrace. We have Easter coming up. The council must halt the work for at least one day either side of the bank holiday weekend or it will be responsible for Minehead businesses losing hundreds of thousands of pounds income when they can least afford it.”

Minehead Chamber of Trade chairman Graham Sizer told the Free Press that he was very concerned about the situation and its effect on the town’s businesses.

He said: “Things are even worse than during the first big disruption over the footpath. It’s not just business delivery drivers who are complaining.

“We must now be losing potential daily shoppers, and with Easter approaching the threat is that West Somerset will be by-passed altogether. Perhaps the new unitary authority will demonstrate it is listening and find a solution.”

A Somerset County Council spokesperson said: “The improved active travel route between Minehead and Dunster is a really positive development which can be enjoyed by people of all ages, whether walking, cycling or wheeling.

“Temporary lights are essential to ensure a safe working zone for the team, but throughout the construction phase so far, we have listened to local concerns, worked closely with Butlin’s in Minehead, and made adjustments if necessary, including removing lights completely at times to alleviate excessive congestion.

“Making these kinds of adjustments does have an impact on the construction schedule and we are currently trialling a restricted length of traffic management to maximise the working time available so we can get the scheme completed before the end of spring, whilst limiting disruption to the local community.”

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