Monday 20th April

Monday, 20 April 2026 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Nearly one hundred roads in Somerset will be surface dressed this summer to prevent further damage. Almost all children starting primary school in Somerset in September have been offered a place at one of their top three school choices. People in Somerset are being asked to record wild mammals in gardens and other green spaces over the summer... and more

Nearly one hundred roads in Somerset will be surface dressed this summer to prevent further damage and improve traction for drivers. Surface dressing is a nationally recognised technique for sealing a road, involving coating the surface with bitumen, covering it with stone chippings, and then rolling it. It improves skid resistance and prevents water from getting under the road surface, which is crucial in stopping potholes from forming. Roads in our area that are to be treated include the A30 Crewkerne Road near Chard, the A37 Ilchester Road at Chilthorne Domer, Cartgate Link Road in Yeovil, and the A37 Dorchester Road in Yeovil. A full list of the roads to be resurfaced can be viewed on the Somerset Council website.

Almost all children starting primary school in Somerset in September have been offered a place at one of their top three choices. Somerset Council says that of the 4,938 applications received, 4,710 were given places at their first-choice school, 162 at their second-choice school, and 38 at their third-choice school.

People in Somerset are being asked to record wild mammals in gardens and other green spaces over the summer. The People’s Trust for Endangered Species charity is particularly keen to receive records from churchyards, cemeteries, and allotments.

A new trail guide exploring UNESCO sites in the South West has been launched. The route has been designed by Great Western Railway to encourage ‘greener’ travel.

A number of roads in North Cadbury are set to close for cabling works from today. Woolston Road, Sandbrook Lane, Parish Hill, High Street, and Cutty Lane will be closed to traffic on various dates from today until Thursday, May 21, as Wessex Internet carries out cabling work.

More from News

Friday 12th June

It's claimed the increasing availability of drugs such as ketamine and cocaine has normalised drug use among young people in Somerset. The trial of a man accused of killing his one-month-old son in Chard begins today at Bristol Crown Court. A stone pillar outside the Langport Arms Hotel in Langport has been replaced after it was destroyed in a car crash... and more
Thursday 11th June

Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to the three aircrew from RNAS Yeovilton who died in last week's helicopter crash in Devon. Two men have been arrested and stolen vehicles seized following a major multi-agency operation in South Somerset. An event highlighting opportunities for women in the aerospace industry has been held in Yeovil... and more
Wednesday 10th June

The public will be consulted on how best to spend fifty million pounds of government funding to tackle flooding in Somerset. Avon and Somerset Police are backing a new road safety campaign aimed at reducing motorcycle fatalities. New welcome signs have been installed at entrances to the Mendip Hills National Landscape... and more
Tuesday 9th June

The government has announced a £50 million investment to strengthen Somerset’s flood defences. A woman from Stoke-sub-Hamdon has been banned from driving for 14 months after admitting drink-driving. Somerset Council has been told it must improve its adult social care services... and more
Monday 8th June

Plans for a new railway station in Langport remain stalled in Whitehall, according to Somerset Council. Plans to build 50 new homes in Broadway, near Ilminster, have been refused. The new water fountains in Yeovil’s Triangle, in Lower Middle Street, are being switched off during very hot weather because of safety concerns... and more.
Friday 5th June

A new NHS dental practice in Crewkerne says it won’t start operating at full capacity until July due to staff shortages. Somerset Council says it has no plans to show England matches in the World Cup on the Big Screen in Yeovil town centre due to safety concerns. A Somerset family has been thanked after completing a 73-mile walk raising money for a third world charity... and more
Thursday 4th June

An investigation continues today into the crash of a Royal Navy helicopter, based at RNAS Yeovilton, in which all three aircrew were killed. Somerset Council has confirmed that a new operator will take over several leisure centres across the county. The new live-action Masters of the Universe movie, filmed in Somerset, is released this week...and more
Wednesday 3rd June

A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with assaulting three police officers. Somerset Council has begun legal action to recover more than £320,000 owed by housing developers. The line-up has been announced for this year’s Ilminster Midsummer Experience...and more