A 5ft hole near Ottery St Mary, Devon, leads to road closure. Major repairs are planned, impacting residents and businesses.
They don’t know how long the work will take. The road closure is causing a long detour, impacting people living there, local businesses, and school buses.
Chineway Road closed suddenly in mid-January for public safety reasons. An investigation showed the wall collapsed badly. The deep hole sat near a pipe under Chineway Hill.
First, they put up barriers. Then, traffic lights controlled the road after initial checks of the wall and hole. Workers cleared plants in December, which allowed a full check in January.
The damage is making the road edge unstable. Devon County Council said they got permission to fix the road from the landowners next to the road.
Councillor Hughes said it’s a key route and knows the closure impacts the community. He wants to open the road soon, but public safety is the biggest concern.
They finished the designs and agreed on land drainage. They talked with the nearby landowners, and contractors start the repairs this week, being on site soon.
Councillor Bailey said the closure disrupts everyone, especially residents and businesses. She is happy the work starts next week and hopes they finish quickly. She will watch the progress closely with council staff.