URGENT repairs to damaged culverts running under a main road into Taunton are to be carried out next week.

Somerset County Council Highways engineers were working to repair the road edge along Priorswood Road when they noticed that one culvert had partially collapsed, while a second culvert was also blocked and damaged.

Work to make the structures safe started on Monday (July 21) and the road will need to be fully closed from Nerrols Farm Lane to Maidenbrook Lane for up to three weeks from next Monday (July 28).

Cllr Harvey Siggs, Somerset County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “These repairs are absolutely essential.

“It is regrettable that the road must be fully closed, but when you’re working on structures under the highway that is the only option to carry out the majority of the works.

“Thank you for your patience, and please be assured that our contractor will be working 12 hour days, six days a week wherever possible and we will reopen the road as soon as we can.”

Repairs at this site are further complicated by the substantial number of services within the carriageway that have to be worked around.

The work will also include measures to increase the capacity of the culverts which should help to prevent the risk of flooding in the future.