Shepton Mallet residents are being advised to brace for added travel time as Somerset Council has announced a series of overnight road closures.

The B3153 Snap Hill near the village of Charlton Mackrell, a vital artery connecting Somerton to Castle Cary, is scheduled for resurfacing works starting Wednesday, September 20.

This road is especially significant for those commuting to Yeovil or Shepton Mallet via the A37 and those heading to Castle Cary railway station for journeys towards Bristol Temple Meads or London Paddington.

The overnight closures will run from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m., concluding on Monday, September 25. However, motorists can breathe a sigh of relief as the road will be completely open during the weekend of September 23 and 24.

Councillor Mike Rigby, portfolio holder for transport and digital, said: "Our highways team is continuing with their resurfacing programme as we head into the final few weeks of the summer. This closure on the B3153 will only be in force on weekday evenings so that disruption is minimised, but we thank everyone in advance for their patience while this short-term closure is in place."

To navigate around the closures, a 12-mile diversion has been established. If you're coming from the west and aiming for Somerton, you'll be led to the A37 at Lydford-on-Fosse, and from there, you'll follow the A37 south to the Podimore roundabout. Then it's onto the A372 towards Langport and finally onto the B3151 near Kingsdon village. The same diversion applies in reverse for those travelling to Castle Cary, adding up to an extra 12 miles to the journey.

A word of caution for HGV drivers: the diversionary route includes roads with low bridges, necessitating an even longer detour.