The daftest diversion

Drivers face 41-mile detour to avoid... 65ft of roadworks

IT normally takes drivers just a second to breeze through a 65ft section of a quaint village.

But that trouble-free passage is being turned into a nightmare hour- long 41- mile diversion because of roadworks.

the decision to set up the diversion to cover the tiny stretch of the A352 has been branded ‘crazy’.

the 65ft section in Godmanstone, Dorset, will be closed all next week to repair a sewage system. the usual route takes a second to cover while travelling at the 30mph speed limit.

But the official diversion will take an hour, drastically increasing car and lorry carbon dioxide emissions – and fuel costs.

the detour will take traffic across the county border into Yeovil, Somerset, before eventually heading back into Godmanstone.

Although drivers of smaller vehicles will be able to make ‘cut-throughs’ along the diversion, traffic chiefs said the official route follows A-roads – because an A-road is being closed.

they warned that anyone caught using the closed stretch of road will be handed a £1,000 fine.

Local residents say the route is ‘ridiculous’.

Heather Chapman, who runs Green Valley Yurts ‘glamping’ holidays nearby, said: ‘ It’s just crazy and there doesn’t seem to be any logic to it. It’s a ridiculous route and everybody who’s local will just ignore it and go different ways.

‘Luckily, my daughter is on halfterm while the work is going on otherwise getting her to school could have been difficult.’

Other residents pointed out the impact on the environment.

Steve Smith said: ‘Where are Extinction Rebellion when you need them?

‘this is what they should be protesting about – campaigning against stupid decisions like this would get them sympathy instead of stopping trains that carry hundreds of people.’

Dorset County Council said the lengthy detour is necessary for

A-road traffic. It acknowledged that most local residents would ignore the official diversion and use smaller roads to get around the work.

A spokesman said: ‘the closure has been requested to allow Dorset Drainage Services to make a sewer connection within the highway.

‘the official diversion has to be suitable for the type of traffic that would normally use the closed section.’

He added: ‘ this is an A-road so we have used other A-roads for the diversion. Smaller local traffic will undoubtedly use lower classified roads to bypass the closure.’

‘Where’s Extinction Rebellion now?’