SOMERSET Council have admitted there is “nothing they can do” to support drivers and pedestrians when traffic lights fail due to a power cut.

On Monday, June 9, a major power cut took place across Wellington, Rockwell Green, Nynehead and other surrounding areas.

The National Grid confirmed a fault on its high voltage network caused a power outage from 10.40am, which affected more than 8,200 properties, mobile networks and traffic lights.

It wasn’t until 5.07pm that electricity had been restored to the entire area.

In town centres, vehicle traffic built up in the face of an unregulated system, with no measures taken to ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians.

Concerns were raised locally over the “lack of police or PCSO presence” in Wellington to assist with the issues caused by the lack of traffic lights.

The police have since confirmed that traffic lights are a council responsibility.

When asked whether there is a plan of action in place for these types of emergencies, Somerset Council said it is up to the drivers to “follow the highway code” to maintain their safety.

A spokesperson for the council said: “When traffic lights fail due to a power cut, there’s nothing we can do until the power is restored.

“If there is a safety issue then the police may step in, but in most instances, it would be a case of drivers following the guidance in the highway code: ‘If the traffic lights are not working, treat the situation as you would an unmarked junction and proceed with great care’.”

National Grid have since confirmed that the loss of power was due to work being undertaken by a “third party” during which damage occurred, affecting the network.

A spokesperson for National Grid said: “We apologise for the disruption and inconvenience this incident has caused and thank customers for their patience.”