CONTRACTORS who have been replacing a drainage system on a main road into Wellington finished the job on Wednesday (October 4), two days ahead of schedule.

It was the second of two major road projects carried out in the town since August, following on from the resurfacing of Mantle Street and Hilly Head.

The second phase was to put in new drainage along Exeter Road, Rockwell Green, between Dobree Park and Popes Lane.

It meant closing the road completely and making Popes Lane one-way, a restriction which is now being lifted.

The First Bus No 22, 22A, and 22X services which had also been diverted along South Street and Wellington Relief Road can also now revert to their usual route.

The Exeter Road work was stopped last weekend to allow the Wellington Carnival procession to line up there.

But despite the interruption the work was still completed earlier than expected.

Somerset assistant highway service manager Gwyn Hughes told town councillors: “Our contractors removed the barriers to allow traffic to use Exeter Road and have faced down the signs in the immediate area.

“Our traffic management team will remove all the remaining signs, including the Popes Lane one-way signage overnight.”

Mr Hghes said the council had also taken the opportunity of the road closure to cut back the vegetation between Exeter Road and the Rockwell Green allotments, including the removal of several overhanging trees.

The work was needed because of a complete failure in several places of the drainage under the carriageway which had caused surface water to run down the hill and caused winter ice problems.

Wellington Mayor Cllr Marcus Barr, who lives in Rockwell Green, said: “I am really pleased the council contractors were able to get on with the work so quickly and get the road reopened as soon as possible.

“They have done another really good job like they did with the resurfacing work in the summer.”

Somerset Council is now planning to have the Popes Lane traffic light-controlled crossroads resurfaced at a later date, a job which had to be postponed to first allow the drainage to be fixed.