New Bridgwater crossings need repairs weeks after completion

Pedestrian crossings on a town's main roads need to be repaired just weeks after being completed, it has emerged.

A councillor has called for the work, following reports of flooding and concerns about narrowness of the A38 Broadway crossings in Bridgwater.

The work at the junctions with Eastover and the A372 St John's Street, are part of the Celebration Mile, which is designed to prioritise the pedestrian.

It was part of Somerset Council's ongoing £16.6m traffic signals upgrade.

The work, started in January, was completed in mid-July following months of temporary traffic lights and lengthy delays for traffic.

However, Councillor Leigh Redman, whose Bridgwater North and Central division includes both crossings, said he had been alerted to issues with the road on social media and had requested an urgent review of the work undertaken.

He said: "I highlighted a number of concerns as the work progressed, which included the new light-controlled crossing on Monmouth Street at the Blake Place junction.

"There appears to be limited space for people to pass on the centre island, and I have asked for an urgent safety review of this crossing.

"I was recently informed of areas of poor drainage and pooling of surface water, and again I have asked for an urgent review."

A council spokesperson said: "As with any major works there are some minor issues to resolve, and we're aware of these and are working through them with the contractor.

"We've also recently undertaken a topographical survey, so we can understand the extent of the surface water issues and investigate options of how we can resolve these too with the contractor."

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