NORTH of Richmond Road and south of the road beyond Chip Lane in Taunton will be closed to drivers later this month as work on the next phase of the Northern Inner Distribution Road (NIDR) starts.

The NIDR is a multi-million pound project commissioned by Somerset County Council to provide a link from Priory Avenue to Staplegrove Road, easing congestion in the town centre and on Priorswood Road.

The next phase begins on April 27 and will see the new road connected to Staplegrove Road via the new roundabout near Chip Lane.

To carry out the work safely and with the minimum of disruption, it will be necessary to close the road to traffic for around five weeks.

Vehicles will not be able to travel north beyond Richmond Road or south beyond Chip Lane, although access will be maintained at all times to all properties.

While the road is closed, a nearby wall will also be repaired by a private landowner to avoid further disruption in the future.

A spokesman for Somerset County Council said: “We appreciate this latest phase of work will cause some disruption and we apologise for any inconvenience.

"However, the connection of the new road is a significant milestone, so please bear with us and be assured we will be doing everything we can to keep any disruption to an absolute minimum.”