Castle Cary drivers regain a key route after long delay

demoduck.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-14 19:56 3 min read

Assorted traffic signage on a suburban road in the United Kingdom during daytime.

By the demoduck.co.uk News Desk | 14 August 2026

Station Road in Castle Cary reopened to traffic on Friday, 14 August, after engineers completed a complex repair beneath the carriageway, Somerset Council confirmed.

The reopening restores normal access through this part of the town. Temporary traffic lights had first been installed in July 2024 after a hole appeared in the road, beginning a period of disruption that lasted considerably longer than initially expected.

What appeared to be a localised depression proved to involve the culvert under Station Road, a restricted watercourse and several utility services close to the excavation. Engineers could not fully inspect the watercourse until the road had been opened up.

Hidden culvert issue changed the repair plan

The initial repair attempt exposed conditions that were substantially more complicated than the visible hole suggested. A culvert carries a watercourse beneath a road, and the restriction in this structure could only be examined after excavation began.

Castle Cary drivers regain a key route after long delay

The depth of the work and the proximity of utility infrastructure meant the project required extensive investigation before a permanent design could be completed. Somerset Council and its contractor adjusted that design as more of the underground conditions became visible.

Councillor Richard Wilkins, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Highways and Transport, said the authority had needed to understand those conditions fully before delivering “a safe, long-lasting solution”. He acknowledged that the work had taken longer than expected and thanked those affected for their patience.

From a road depression to deep excavation

The confirmed project timeline shows how a seemingly limited highway defect developed into a larger engineering scheme.

Date or phase	Confirmed development
July 2024	Temporary traffic lights were installed after a hole appeared in the carriageway.
Initial repair	Work on the apparent localised depression revealed a more complex issue below the road.
Investigation and excavation	Engineers examined the culvert, restricted watercourse and nearby utility services.
Permanent works	The design was adapted to the conditions uncovered on site.
14 August 2026	Station Road reopened to traffic.

Utility services required temporary engineering works

Several utility services were positioned close to the excavation. Carefully designed temporary works therefore had to be installed before the permanent repair could proceed, adding another stage to the operation.

Kier worked with Somerset Council to design and deliver the scheme. The project also required coordination with utility companies, developers and local stakeholders while engineers investigated the site and revised the repair design.

Tom Stockley, Kier’s Operations Manager in Somerset, said detailed investigation and close collaboration had been required throughout. According to Stockley, the team adapted its design as the underground conditions became clearer so that the finished repair would be safe, robust and long-lasting.

Normal access restored through Castle Cary

Drivers can now use Station Road again, restoring the usual connection through this part of Castle Cary. The council said the completed engineering work was designed to protect the highway for years to come.

The reopening marks the end of the excavation and permanent repair programme, with the previously restricted route returned to traffic.

Source: Somerset Council Newsroom

Context & actions About this article

Source check How this report was checked

The reopening, timeline and engineering details were drawn from Somerset Council’s account of the completed Station Road works.

Checks

The reopening date was matched to the council’s published announcement.
The July 2024 installation of temporary traffic lights was distinguished from the August 2...
The repair explanation was limited to the confirmed culvert, watercourse, excavation and u...
The named officials, roles and contractor involvement were attributed to the source.

Somerset Council Newsroom Check independent coverage