A303 closure gridlock threat
A four-mile stretch of the A303 at Mere, one of just two major trunk roads into the South West, closes in both directions on Monday – the first day of half-term.
A similar proposal in December 2008, which would have closed the road for 12 weeks, caused fury among tourism and industry figures at a time when the region and the country was in recession.
Accused of "gross mismanagement", the Highways Agency backed down, admitting that "a lengthy closure of this nature" was not the answer.
Nevertheless, the total closure of the road – second only to the M5 in the amount of business traffic it brings into Devon and Cornwall – will now start on February 15.
Tim Jones, chairman of the Devon and Cornwall Business Council, said the first scheme had been a "walking disaster" and while industry had reluctantly accepted the latest project, questions still remained.
"This is going to be a massive disruption," Mr Jones said last night.
"It is going to have major implications for the recovery programme for the economy because of the knock-on effects of the disruption. Major questions have already been asked, and will continue, as to how the road was allowed to get into this state so that it is never allowed to happen again."
During the closure – which covers the half-term school holiday – the road will be resurfaced and safety barriers will be installed while surface water drainage will be enhanced. The agency is also renewing signs and installing cat's eyes.
Drivers heading west face a five-mile diversion, and possible lengthy delays through villages on the Wiltshire-Somerset border, or the option of using the M5. Eastbound traffic will be worst-affected, being re-routed by more than 12 miles.
Gregory Distribution, one of the biggest independent haulage firms in the Westcountry, uses the A303 daily to ferry milk from the region's farms to London.
John Gregory, chief executive of the Willand-based company, said the closure was an "absolute disaster" which could also result in "serious traffic jams".
"Anything that forces trucks to go on to the M5 and M4, instead of the A303, to the South East puts an additional 70 miles on the round trip," he said.
"That has considerable cost implications, not just in monetary terms but also in time which is really sensitive in our industry. The closure is just another burden on the industry and because it is for a relatively short time, we cannot recover that from our customers."
Rupert Cox, vice-chairman of the South West Chambers of Commerce, said the diversions for lorries would take up to an hour. "We were consulted," he said, "then we were told what was going ahead.
"It is better than it was but we really don't have a choice."
A spokesman for the Highways Agency said the work had been planned for when "traffic volumes are very low" and to avoid the main holiday periods, particularly Easter.
Industry, local councils and MPs had also been consulted.
Project manager Dave Frampton said: "This work is essential to keep road users on the A303 safe.
"Our surveys show that the road is beginning to suffer from severe cracking and rutting. It is also clear that the drainage system needs extensive repairs or replacement.
"We have carefully planned this work to reduce the length of time that the route has to be closed and to minimise the impact on road users."
