RESURFACING is set to take place in the new year on the main road linking Dursley and Cam to the A38 and the M5.

Following the Gazette’s report in October that road users were calling for urgent work to be carried out on pothole-filled Cam High Street, the Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) has stepped up its efforts in the area.

Throughout the year the A4135, which also links the settlements to Cam and Dursley Railway Station, has received small improvements but January 2014 will see the whole road getting completely overhauled.

To minimise disruption for road users, the resurfacing work will be restricted to nine consecutive Sundays, starting on January 19 and finishing on March 16.

Extra work will take place throughout the half-term from Monday, February 17 to Saturday, February 21.

Final improvements to the road, starting at the Tesco roundabout on the A4135 north towards the railway bridge, will mean that a full road closure will need to be in place whilst the crews are working.

The works will also impact on buses and access to the train station during the Sunday and half-term closures.

Signage will also be put in place suggesting a possible diversion route for road users. Most local businesses in the area have also been made aware of the planned resurfacing.

Quality assurance manager Steve White, 45, has cycled from his Cambridge home to work in Everlands in the village most days for the last 23 years and has campaigned for improvements as he considers the road to be dangerous and in a worse state now than ever before.

Speaking to the Gazette, Mr White said he was pleased that GCC were stepping up their efforts.

“It has needed doing for the last 18 months at least, if not for two years, so this is good news,” he said.

“I met with two members of the highways team last month and they conceded that it was in a poor state and they needed to do something.”

Cllr Vernon Smith, cabinet member for highways and flood, said, “As this is such a popular road in Cam and Dursley, we wanted to find the right balance between improving the road surface and not creating too much disruption to local residents and businesses.

“This is why it was decided to only work on the road on Sundays and not throughout the working week.

“It’s important that the extra funding for improving the county’s roads is spent wisely and improves roads that people are concerned about and regularly use.”

Cllr Brian Tipper, county councillor for Cam Valley, said, “I’m really happy that this work is being carried out on such a well-used road.

“Once it’s been completed it will be a great improvement for road users.”