THE long-awaited, way-overdue opening of the £22million NIDR is the county council’s answer to traffic congestion through the town centre.

Out of curiosity, I have now used this road on a couple of occasions since it opened. 

It is a real pleasure to travel along, as I am usually one of only two or three other vehicles (in either direction), having come down a congested Toneway and then, to my surprise, avoided the long queues waiting to turn right to cross the Obridge viaduct.

Drivers on Toneway are still being directed across Obridge as the best way to get to the station and Minehead

Both signage and road markings continue to carry this - now misleading - information.


READ MORE: NIDR open - but questions remain: Special report


Clearly, the Highways department was taken as much by surprise as the rest of us on July 11 when this long-overdue road suddenly opened.

Is it not beyond the wit of man, or Somerset County Council in this instance, to have planned for revised signage to complement this project which has not been without it’s controversy?

There is also little evidence as to where the junction to Firepool will be.
Taunton Deane Borough Council had better act quickly before a developer builds houses in the area and isolates the site.

Watch this space!

JACKIE CALCROFT
Taunton