SRA Annual Report 2024-25: Enhanced maintenance of road drainage structures
Two programmes of enhanced maintenance were organised for the SRA by the Somerset Council Highways Department during 2024-25. These programmes helped to keep roads open, make them safer, preserve access for communities, and safeguard properties from flooding.
Gully emptying
SRA funding enabled Somerset Council’s Highways Department to give 20,329 of the highest-risk gullies across Somerset a second round of emptying, six months after their first council-funded clearout.
More information about these gullies will be in the SRA website version of this annual report, once provided.
Drain jetting
Seventy drains were jetted for the SRA in 2024-25, by former district council area as follows: 10 in Mendip; 1 in Sedgemoor; 33 in Somerset West and Taunton; 26 in South Somerset. Under existing budgets, the Highways Department has in recent years only been able to afford to jet drains when a bad blockage has occurred. SRA funding has allowed for earlier preventative maintenance at locations known to suffer problems with flooding. Selections of drains for jetting are made using local knowledge and professional judgement.
Sites are listed below by parish.
In some cases, jetting was combined with CCTV surveying.
Sedgemoor
Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, 5 Blytheway, Burnham on Sea.
Mendip
Baltonsborough, Muchelney Road; Cranmore, Dallimore Lane (SRA jetting & CCTV); Frome, Blatchbridge to Frome, West Woodlands; Glastonbury, Chilkwell St (SRA jetting & CCTV); Lydford on Fosse, A37 Fosseway (SRA jetting & CCTV); North Wootton, Stocks Lane; Norton St Philip, Hassage Farm Lane, Faulkland; Rode, Straight Lane; Street, Brooks Road (SRA jetting & CCTV); West Pennard, Edgarley Road (SRA jetting & CCTV).
Somerset West & Taunton
Ash Priors, Hillside Cottage (SRA jetting & CCTV); Bishop’s Hull, Shutewater Hill; Brompton Regis (x3), B3190 Robbery Gate, Bury Ford and Withiel Lane; Brushford, Ellersdown Lane; Cutcombe (x3), Luckwell Bridge, Steart Lane, Thorne Lane; Dulverton (x4), B3222 Battleton, B3222 Dulverton, B3223 Highercombe, A396 Machine Steep; Exford (x2), Muddicombe and Wellshead; Exmoor, B3358 Simonsbath; Exton (x2), A396 Bridgetown, Exton Lane; Minehead (x2), Periton Road and Spring Gardens; Oake, Broom Lane; Selworthy, Selworthy; Skilgate (x2), Frogwell and Lowtrow Cross; Timberscombe, Cloud Steep; Trull, Southwell Close; Williton, Minehead to Williton Road; Winsford (x2), Ash Lane, Howtown Lane; Wootton Courtenay (x2), Burrow Road, New Road; Unrecorded parish – B3227 Wiveliscombe-Milverton Road.
South Somerset
Babcary, Gingers Acre, Perry Hill; Beercrocombe, Stocks Lane, Ashill; Castle Cary, North Street (SRA jetting & CCTV); Charlton Mackrell (x3), Broadway Road and George Street, both in Charlton Adam, and near Cooks Cary Farm, Ilchester Road; Combe St Nicholas, Whiteway (SRA jetting & CCTV); Compton Dundon (x3), near Brook Barn Cottages, B3151 Somerton Road – Castlebrook, and near Wineberry Cottage, B3151 Littleton Road; Drayton, School Street (SRA jetting & CCTV); Henstridge (x2), A357 Ashwalk, A357 Stalbridge Road; Kingsdon, Henley Road; Lovington, Junction Hornblotton – Green Road (SRA jetting & CCTV); Merriott, Church Street; North Barrow, North Barrow Road; North Cadbury, A359 Junction Cary Road – High Road; Queen Camel, next to Wales House, Blackwell Road, Wales; Shepton Montague, Cattle Hill; Somerton, A372 Langport Road; Sparkford (x2), Rectory Lane, Weston Bamfylde, and near Westacre, Sparkford Road, South Barrow; Stocklinch, Stoney Lane; Tintinhull, Vicarage Street and School Close; Yeovilton, Bridgehampton Road.