A CYCLIST and motorist from Minehead says chippings used as an economical method of road surfacing are endangering road users.

Ray Webster says debris from loose road surfaces is not swept from intersections at junctions, roundabouts and traffic islands after the initial work is done, posing a potentially severe hazard.

Stones flying up from the road have damaged the paint, windscreen and wheel arches of his car and chippings have hit him in the eye while he is cycling.

Ray said: “While the road sweeping vehicle sweeps some curbs, it never sweeps the islands, nor does anyone come to broom it.

“Without the necessary sweeping afterwards, this method of resurfacing also creates a higher line in the centre of the road where vehicles do not generally drive and therefore wear it down.

“It just beggars belief that the roadsides and surfaces of Minehead are in such derelict and neglected state when they are so close to the beauty of Exmoor.

“It causes a danger of bicycles and vehicles skidding on the road, a danger to pedestrians walking alongside from stones flying up and the town looks a disgrace, especially to tourists. It seems the authorities have no inkling of pride or sense of duty to the citizens who pay to keep them in office.”

A Somerset County Council spokesman said: “A standard part of the surface dressing process is follow-up after-care which includes the sweeping up of excess chippings.

“This is done at various times after the initial application of the dressing. A further sweep was carried out last week on the A39 between Carhampton and the Ellicombe roundabout near Minehead, which was dressed in September.

“This was the only surface dressing site in the Minehead/Dunster area this summer. Away from the Somerset County Council surface dressing programme, routine sweeping of roads is carried out by West Somerset Council.

“Our resurfacing team is currently investigating with the contractor the observation regarding the raised part of the road surface where the centre white line is.”