Hopes that Somerset County Council would delay roadworks - at least until work in the centre of Frome was completed - were dashed when Welshmill Lane was cordoned off from July 13.

The road is now completely closed, although as Nub News saw when we visited the site today, many motorists were still unaware of the road closure and were forced into U turns.

The resurfacing work is expected to continue until 31st July.

Meanwhile work in the centre of Frome, begun on June 22, has now moved up to the upper end of the centre, with digging alongside the Natwest bank building.

Those works are not expected to be completed until October.

Frome Town Council has criticised Somerset County Council for going ahead with the work while the town centre is effectively closed.

Cllrs Anne Hills, Leader of the Town Council said, "We are deeply disappointed that about the timing of the resurfacing work in Welshmill Lane. The County Council have known for some time that the Market Place is closed to through traffic and that many road users would divert via Welshmill Lane. I can only apologise for the expected inconvenience.

"The County Council, despite several warnings decided to go ahead regardless of the impact on the people of Frome. In my view this shows a complete disregard for our community and the chaos that this is likely to cause. It would have been so easy to push this work back."

The Market Place improvements being made include:

- Realignment of the bus laybys to reduce congestion caused by buses parked at the stops.

- Enhancement of the existing crossing points between Boyle Cross and the Coventry Building Society, Boyle Cross and The George Hotel and at the junction of King Street and Market Place. The existing zebra and pelican crossings will remain.

- Improvements to the pavements to enhance the appearance of the Market Place and make it more pedestrian friendly and widening of some pavements outside Coventry Building Society and The George Hotel.

-A new disabled parking space outside Subway.

- Removal of the guard railings on the junction of Cork Street and Market Place, which will be replaced by bollards.

You can read the complete details here:

the Frome Town Council site