Thursday 7th March

Thursday, 7 March 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

The number of people killed in road accidents in Somerset last year was the highest for a decade. The public toilets in Yeovil bus station will shut at the end of the month as part of cost-cutting measures at Somerset Council. An event celebrating cultural diversity in Chard is being held this weekend...and more.

The number of people killed in accidents on Somerset’s roads last year was the highest for a decade. Thirty people died in 2023, a forty per cent increase on 2022. The high number of fatalities has been attributed to drink and drug driving, careless or inconsiderate driving, speeding, using a mobile phone while driving, and not wearing a seat belt. The Road Safety team at Somerset Council has now launched a new awareness campaign, aimed at making Somerset’s roads safer.

A council-run plant nursery in Yeovil is to close at the end of the month as part of cost-cutting measures at Somerset Council. The primary function of the nursery on the Lufton Trading Estate is to grow bedding plants for public parks and displays in Yeovil town centre. Meanwhile, Somerset Council is closing the public toilets in Yeovil Bus Station. Yeovil Town Council has been asked to take on running the toilets but has yet to make a firm decision.

Taunton Town Football Club says it’s facing a new winding-up order, due to the poor state of the club’s finances. With several home games rained off in the past few weeks, income has gone down and player’s wages have not been paid in full.

The production company behind the TV show Junior Bake Off says it's looking for applicants from Somerset for the next series. Love Productions, which is also behind the Great British Bake Off, says it would like to hear from boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 12 who have a love of baking. The deadline for applications is March 17th.

Australian cricketer Matt Renshaw has been signed by Somerset County Cricket Club for the 2024 season, marking his third stint at the club. He's played a total of 14 test matches for Australia and while playing for Somerset averaged a best of 146 runs.

An event celebrating cultural diversity in Chard is being held this weekend. Chard Together, featuring art, music, dance, and cuisine from around the world is a free event and takes place at The Guildhall across the day on Saturday.

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