One of the main routes through Bridgwater town centre will be shut for the next six months as work on a major regeneration scheme rolls forward. Somerset Council and its contractor Taylor Woodrow are delivering three sections of the Celebration Mile through the town centre, which will provide a safer car-free route between the Northgate Docks and Bridgwater railway station.
Work is currently under way on Eastover and Angel Crescent, with work on the Clare Street section expected to begin in mid-February 2025. The council originally intended to deliver the remaining elements on Eastover under a one-way system, with all work on the £9m scheme (funded by the Bridgwater town deal) expected to finish by October.
But the council decided shortly before Christmas to shut the entire road for up to six months, following several “near-misses” with traffic refusing to comply with the one-way system which was originally in place. The council said it had also found “unmapped utilities under the road” which “have made work more complicated and impossible to do safely without a full road closure”.
The council encountered similar problems which held up the delivery of several elements within the Yeovil Refresh regeneration programme – another scheme which was implemented by Taylor Woodrow (also known as South West Highways). Faye Cross, the company’s community engagement manager, laid out the details of this additional disruption in a letter seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
She said: “During the work, the team has found a range of unmapped utilities and redundant infrastructure which has made progression more complicated. It is now clear that the drainage manholes in Eastover cannot be accessed safely within a one-way traffic arrangement.
“At the same time, some of our workers have already experienced near-misses with traffic failing to comply with the current one-way system. Completing the works sooner [with the road closure] should reduce some of the inconvenience to businesses, and the full closure will allow the team to complete the works all in one go, rather than returning to the same stretch of road multiple times, creating uncertainty for traders and residents.”
Eastover closed to all traffic on Thursday morning (January 2) and will remain shut for up to six months – though it will be reopened sooner if the work can be completed ahead of schedule. During this period, pedestrians will still be able to access shops along Eastover, with extra signs being put in place to remind both residents and visitors that the street is “open for business”.
During the closure, access to London Court will remain in place for vehicles and pedestrians via Eastover from the east. Deliveries for traders will be accommodated through temporary loading bays at the taxi rank on East Quay, along with other bays on Church Street, New Road, Salmon Parade and Watsons Lane.
(Image: Daniel Mumby)
Councillor Mike Rigby, portfolio holder for economic development, planning and assets, stated in December 2024: “This scheme represents major investment in the town with the aim of making Eastover and the town centre a more attractive destination for visitors and shoppers, and to increase footfall across the town centre. With works of this scale, some disruption is unavoidable, and the team has taken the difficult decision that the best way to get this done quickly is a full road closure.
“This wasn’t the original plan, but as with all projects like this there are often unexpected complications that forces a change of approach.”
In addition to the Celebration Mile, other elements of the Bridgwater town deal will also be taking shape in the coming months – including the delivery of a new mural above the Eastover Indoor Shopping Centre and a £789,000 upgrade to the Bridgwater Arts Centre on Castle Street.
For information on all the Bridgwater Town Deal projects, visit www.bridgwatertowndeal.co.uk/projects.
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