Somerset road repairs compared to 'coat of many colours'

Somerset Council has been making numerous repairs to the county's roads in light of the warmer weather, ranging from major resurfacing and surface dressing to fixing hundreds of potholes.

Councillor Alan Bradford - the Conservative division member for North Petherton - used a public meeting on Thursday morning (June 4) to praise the council's highways team for the high standard of recent repairs.

But he also questioned why the entire road network could not be repaired to the same standard, comparing it to Joseph's amazing Technicolour dreamcoat from the beloved musical.

Mr Bradford made his colourful comparison at the inaugural meeting of the council's climate, environment and place scrutiny committee in Taunton on Thursday morning (June 4).

Councillor Alan Bradford (Conservative, North Petherton) (Image: Daniel Mumby)

He said: "Some of the improvements that the highways team has done to some of the road surfaces is tremendous - I'll give credit where it's due.

"We get so much hassle with people wondering what is going on regarding our highways. I don't know if we've been using different Tarmac or something, but some of the surfaces now are way above the stuff we've used before.

"But when you get off these good places done here and there, it makes you think: 'Why aren't they doing that all the way along?'

"There are so many patches, it's becoming like the coat of many colours in that London musical - patch, patch, patch, patch, patch, patch, patch."

Andrew Lloyd Webber co-wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat with Tim Rice (Image: PA/Maja Smiejkowska)

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, follows the story of Joseph from the book of Genesis, detailing his betrayal at the hands of his 11 brothers, being sold into slavery, rising to a position of power in Egypt and ultimately reconciling with his family.

The musical has been perennially popular since the first full-length production debuted in the UK in 1974, resulting in numerous revivals, countless amateur productions and a 1999 film starring Donny Osmond in the title role.

The musical includes the song 'Joseph's Coat', which culminates in a lengthy list of colours which make up the eponymous garment.

Mr Bradford added: "I think a bit of common sense is needed. I'd like them to do the whole area rather than just one bit.

"It is a very difficult issue, it really is - but credit where it's due, what's been done has been done tremendously well."