Lengthy diversion on A39 Porlock
Resurfacing works start tonight
Drivers travelling through the Exmoor National Park at night face a lengthy diversion from this evening (April 24) as resurfacing work gets underway.
Somerset Council will be undertaking repairs to the A39 High Street in Porlock, between the Parson Street junction and the Dunster Steep at the eastern entrance to the village.
This stretch of road – measuring around a quarter of a mile – will be undertaken over five evenings between April 24 and 28, with a full road closure needing to be in force between 6:30pm and 11:30pm.
During these times, motorists will be diverted over the Devon border, through the heart of the national park and back in via Minehead – adding up to 45 miles to their journey.
Portfolioholder for transport and digital, Councillor Mike Rigby, said: “We recognise that these works will inevitably impact on the community, and we have been engaging in the village since last month and want to do our very best to manage and mitigate it.
“We chose this period as when we last resurfaced a similar section of carriageway within the village it was the least disruptive between the holiday of Easter, the spring Bank Holidays and the remaining summer season.”
During the evening road closures, motorists wishing to approach Porlock from the east will be diverted back along the A39 through Minehead, past the ongoing roadworks on the new active travel route between West Somerset College and Dunster.
They will then take the A396 through Dunster and picked up the B3224 at Wheddon Cross.
From there they will head west along the B3223 and B3358 through Simonsbath, rejoining the A39 at Blackmoor Gate on the Devon side of the national park and head east via Lynton and Lynmouth – a diversion which could add up to 45 miles to their journey.
Those wishing to approach Minehead from the west will follow the same diversion in reverse.
These roadworks follow two sets of closures on the A39 Selworthy Road between Minehead and Porlock in March to allow for repairs to be made.