Chinnock Hollow: Road to be closed PERMANENTLY
The announcement has been made by Somerset Council
Somerset Council has imposed a permanent road closure notice for Chinnock Hollow near Yeovil.
They say it's to ensure the continued safety of the public.
The road was shut in February 2021 after being severely impacted by a significant landslide involving 20 tonnes of rock and sand, as well as a large tree.
This followed a less serious incident just a week earlier.
After a specialist geological survey identified the substantial risk of another serious landslide, the road was kept closed under a temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TRO), and it would have taken a major package of funding to safeguard the road and allow it to reopen.
Sadly, they say it's not available.
What this means is that the Council needs to apply for a permanent TRO to replace the temporary one.
Bosses at the Council say they remain committed to exploring all potential sources of funding and is continuing to lobby for transport investment in the area. The TRO can be reversed in the future should funding become available.
Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Waste, Councillor Richard Wilkins said: “Nothing has changed - Chinnock Hollow remains unsafe for vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists, but we need to move to a proper legal position.
“However, we are continuing to lobby for transport investment in our county, when funding streams become available we will lobby strongly on behalf of the local communities.”
If you spot a problem on the road you can report it quickly and easily here.
Read more: Landslide-hit road linking East Chinnock to Odcombe to remain shut