Angry Burnham-On-Sea residents have this week called for more to be done to stop holidaymakers using in-car sat-nav systems from being mis-directed into their residential roads instead of Burnham Holiday Village.
Gillian Kidner, a resident of Atlantic Crescent, is among several residents who have spoken out about the issue of up to ’20-30 vehicles a day’ getting mis-directed to nearby residential streets instead of to Burnham Holiday Village in Old Station Approach.
Residents are requesting that a new sign be installed at the end of Lundy Drive, pictured below, to inform motorists that there is no access to Burnham Holiday Village, whose entrance is a few metres away.
Drivers are currently directed by their sat-nav systems into Atlantic Crescent, which is a cul-de-sac, even though it has a completely different post code than Burnham Holiday Village, she explained.
She went on to say that the cars often arrive in groups, playing loud music or towing caravans, which then have to reverse back out.
“It has been known for up to 20 to 30 vehicles on a single Friday evening,” she said, adding that delivery lorries often make the same sat-nav directed mistake.
Town councillor Andy Brewer, also a resident of Atlantic Crescent, said he “fully supports” Mrs Kidner’s comments. “I have seen more than ten vehicles an hour arriving at peak times,” he said.
Councillors considered requesting a new sign from County Highways and contacting sat-nav mapping companies to report the problem.
Cllr Nick Tolley said that sat-nav users usually don’t follow signs, so installing a new one may not have the desired effect. “A direct approach to sat nav data suppliers could put it right,” he added.
Cllr Janet Keen added that the problem goes wider than just here, with similar issues in Isleport Lane and the Walrow railway bridge.
Cllr Martin Cox said he feels something needs to be done quickly before the Easter holiday season begins, with a new tourist road sign in Marine Drive being the preferred option to direct tourists to the Holiday Village.
But Town Clerk Tatiana Cant said she’s concerned about the cost of a new brown sign. Cllr Phil Harvey suggested a normal road sign would be cheaper.
The Clerk is to request Somerset County Highways install a sign. She will also research into the sat-nav mapping companies to report the problem.
