THE finishing date for a £21.7million link road being built in Taunton has been put back - AGAIN.

The Northern Inner Distributor Road won't be completed until late 2016, according to Somerset County Council.

A number of previous completion dates since work started in July 2013 have come and gone - the authority recently reckoned the contractors would hand the road over in late spring or early summer next year.

The road, linking Staplegrove Road at Chip Lane with Priory Avenue, is seen as vital for opening up the derelict Firepool site for a £105million development of homes, offices, shops and leisure facilities.

Work is starting on key works on a disused railway bridge over Station Road, which will eventually be taken down and replaced.

Piling equipment is now on site to create the structural foundations for the new Kingston Loop Bridge.

Piling work started yesterday (Monday, November 30) and will be split into three phases, starting on the west side of the bridge.

 

NIDR has been commissioned by Somerset County Council and carried out by contractors Carillion.

Cllr David Fothergill, the council’s cabinet member for highways, said: “We understand people have been frustrated by a perceived lack of progress on the NIDR.

"There’s been a lot of work going on behind the scenes and the arrival of the piling rig is a key moment and shows the project is moving forward.”

The construction of the rest of the NIDR also continues to progress and the ramp to the new Firepool Bridge near Priory Park is nearing completion.

Carillion expects to finish the Priory Park part of the road by early 2016, while their current estimated completion date for the overall NIDR is late 2016.

Mr Fothergill added: “The NIDR is a key priority for Somerset County Council and we will continue to work with Carillion to open the road before this date if possible.”

By providing a link from Priory Avenue to Staplegrove Road, the NIDR should also help to ease congestion in the town centre and on Priorswood Road.

*What do you think NIDR could stand for?

We've come up with Not In Deadline Range; Never In Doubt Really; Not Intended for Driving Round.

See if you can come up with a better one - leave your suggestions on this story.