Safety measure to be introduced along B3191 Somerset coastal road

A section of Cleeve Hill runs over a sheer cliff face in West Somerset

New safety signs and gates will be installed across a Somerset coastal road ahead of a major coastal defence project.

Often used as an alternative to the A39, the B3191 connects Watchet to Blue Anchor and will close at Cleeve Hill for five days in early September.

The new measures are designed to alert motorists in the event of possible cliff falls or other coastal erosion.

The work comes ahead of a £3.8m scheme from Somerset West and Taunton Council.

The £3.8m project will aim to prevent the Blue Anchor end of the road and the nearby properties, including the Anchor's Drop pub and neighbouring static caravans, from falling into the sea.

Current cliff monitoring systems at the area detects movement of the cliff and sends out messages to the county council's highways teams to carry out a closure and to activate signage, however according to The Local Democracy Reporting Service, the signs are often moved to enable vehicles to pass through.

Put in place to prevent motorists from becoming stranded on low-lying roads, the Watchet scheme is based on the flood gates installed at key locations on the Somerset Levels and Moors after the floods in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

The new gates will close and lock if the existing alarm system is triggered, diverting motorists to the A39.

Inland diversions will also be in place for users of the England Coast Path, which runs from Brean to Minehead via Watchet and Blue Anchor.

Advanced signs will also be placed at the Blue Anchor end of the road, warning oncoming traffic of closures and an advanced sign will be placed on the Watchet side too.

Councillor Mike Rigby, portfolio holder for transport and digital, said: "Ensuring safety for our road users is always paramount and this new system will provide an additional layer of safety to Cleeve Hill."

A county council report looking at long-term solutions for securing Cleeve Hill has identified a range of options including a new bypass through the former Wansborough paper mill site and a £1bn tidal lagoon with a road on top of it.

Work on the Watchet gates will begin on 5 September and is expected to last for five days. During this time the B3191 will be closed between 08:00 BST and 17:00 each day.

Once completed, the district council can begin work to shore up the Blue Anchor coastline using rock armour, which is expected to be carried out in the winter.