NORTH Somerset Council has closed part of the A370 Bridgwater Road in order to fell diseased ash trees.

The closure, which came into force today (Monday, April 22), will last until Friday, April 26 and will be in place between 9.30am to 3.30pm.

The closure is in place between the Weston General Hospital roundabout and the Uphill Road South / Bleadon Hill junctions.

In order to allow ambulances to travel to and from the hospital, the road is fully marshalled.

Motorists and pedestrians are restricted, apart from emergency vehicles.

The trees, which are close to the road, have been infected with ash dieback disease, which can prove fatal to the trees.

The council works to remove dead or dying trees where necessary, whilst also planting new ones.

Councillor Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council’s executive member for arts and leisure, said: “The council manages between 75,000 and 80,000 ash trees, and we have a duty of care to remove those infected with ash dieback so that we can protect the rest.

“We recognise that this work will impact travel for residents, and we apologise for any unavoidable inconvenience caused.

"We’ve made sure that those requiring urgent care will still be able to travel safely to and from Weston General Hospital in ambulances."