CALLS have been made for an independent inquiry into why developers have not built a roundabout onto a busy road years after they pledged to do so.

Bishops Lydeard Parish Council has finally run out of patience after discussing the matter every month for at least three years.

Chairman Henry Davenport has now written to Somerset County Council leader John Osman demanding action in the wake of a fatal accident on the A358 through the village on April 27.

Taylor Wimpey, which was obliged to build the roundabout at the junction of the A358 and Station Road as a condition for winning permission in 2011 for 39 homes it has since built and sold, says it hopes work will start later this year.

Mr Davenport said: "Enough is enough - we're been fobbed off far too long and far to often, with varying excuses for the delays.

"I very much hope that Somerset County Council will grant our request for an independent inquiry and that the borough council and Taylor Wimpey will co-operate in every way with that inquiry so that the full reasons for the delays will emerge."

A Taylor Wimpey spokeswoman said the company is working on finalising the design of the roundabout.

She added: "Once the design has been formally approved, we will look to complete the tender process so that we can appoint a contractor to construct the roundabout and associated works with a target start date of September.

“These will be complex works on a major road so we need to ensure everything has been carefully considered before construction begins.”

The company declined to comment on the fatal two-car crash on Wednesday, April 27, in which Sally Eveleigh, from Luxborough died.

A county council spokesman said its road safety team and the police are investigating the accident.

He added: "We understand the parish council’s frustrations over the time taken to build the roundabout, but we also have to make sure the design of a major piece of infrastructure on a busy road is right.

"The design has evolved over the past two years since the legal agreement was first signed in 2014.

"We now have a viable scheme which includes an improved underpass to make it safer for people to cross the road.

" Our priority now is to focus on working with the developer to make sure they can start building the roundabout in September.”