AN increase in the amount of time the M5 is closed is having a huge impact across the South West, it’s been claimed.

National Highways is being quizzed on what actions it is taking to address the frequency of incidents and the length of time it takes to deal with them.

It follows a number of incidents this summer including one in May where a fuel tanker jack-knifed in Somerset causing a diesel spillage and a 14-hour road closure.

At a meeting of the Peninsula Transport Board in Plymouth, a body pushing for rail and road improvements for the region made up of local authority representatives from Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Plymouth and Torbay, members heard that over the last five years amount of time that the M5 has been closed in areas from Junction 21 (Weston-Super-Mare) all the way down to Exeter has steadily increased year on year.

Somerset Council Lib Dem member leading on highways and transport Richard Wilkins said: “I think it’s been closed virtually every other day this summer.

“It has a huge economic impact on the whole peninsula. It’s a vital piece in the jigsaw of peninsula transport.

“We should be asking for an explanation as to why we are seeing this huge increase in the amount of closures and length of time the closures happen on what is frankly our only strategic route into the peninsula.”

He said the A303 was classified as a main route but it went down to one lane and there was still no link to the M5 from it.

Somerset Council, which says the closures cause problems on local roads and impact the economy, has already taken the issue up with the police and crime commissioner, but is asking that councils work in partnership.

One of the suggestions from the council is that the speed limit is reduced during peak times like bank holidays when the volume of traffic to the region multiplies.

A National Highways representative at the meeting said there were lots of reasons why the M5 needed to be closed for long periods such as fuel spillages, resurfacing and collision investigation.

On top of this there were an increased number of planned closures of general maintenance to make sure the route was safe and reliable into the future.

Meeting chair Cllr John Stephens (Lab, Plymouth City Council) said the issue highlighted the fragility of the region’s infrastructure.

It was agreed to write to National Highways and request a report be provided on the frequency of issues, impact on the level of service and the actions the national body was taking to address this.