PEOPLE affected by the closure of the A36 at Limpley Stoke have been given the opportunity to see for themselves the work being carried out.

Since the road the main route to Bath was closed five weeks ago the amount of traffic going through Bradford on Avon and surrounding villages has risen sharply.

Geoff Roberts, chairman of Limpley Stoke parish council, said: "The contractor, in terms of preventing nuisances, could not have been better but they have done all they can.

"The main problem is that people just need to drive more considerately when they pass through."

The road has been closed for essential roadworks that are expected to take 12 weeks to complete, at a cost of £3m.

Construction company, La Farge, is putting 400 12ft concrete pillars under the road to prevent it collapsing down the steep hill it rests on.

Peter Bartlett, from the Highways Agency, said: "We have been monitoring the condition of the road and a number of cracks had appeared that indicated that it was falling.

"If it did go it would be a sudden and dramatic collapse so we needed to act before that happened."

There were already 100 concrete pillars under the road, put in place about eight years ago, but this time it is hoped that no further action will need to be taken once the 400 new pillars are in place.

Mr Bartlett said: "We are doing a proper job and hopefully once it is done that will be it."

The workers are using a gigantic drill to make holes into which a metal frame is lowered before the concrete is pumped and left to set.

The machines they are using are big enough to block the entire road and so tall that trees lining the road have had to be cut back to allow them access.

Mr Bartlett said that they are removing as little wood as possible and what is taken away will be used to make nesting boxes to encourage birds to remain there.

Rowena Wood, chairman of Freshford parish council, also came to have a look around the site.

She said: "What they are doing is tremendously interesting. I think the general view is that we probably haven't been affected as much as we thought we would be.

"We have known it was going to happen for about nine months, so we knew that it would have to take place at some point."

The work is due to be completed by the end of November.