A CAR driver was taken to hospital after a second serious crash on the same section of the A38 near Wellington in 11 days.

The man was driving a red Suzuki Swift which rolled over and trapped him inside at the top of White Ball Hill, above Beambridge, on Thursday night (April 25)

Police, fire, and ambulance crews were despatched to the crash, which happened at about 5.45 pm.

The A38, which saw the first phase of a Somerset Council safety scheme completed just 20 weeks ago, was closed in both directions for several hours.

The council reduced the speed limit to 50 mph and introduced coloured road surface markings at junctions and improved signage following nine deaths in 20 years and a lengthy campaign by residents calling for highway improvements.

But on April 14 a motorcyclist was seriously injured when he was in collision with a cyclist at the A38 turning for Greenham and was airlifted to hospital in Plymouth.

Thursday evening’s single-vehicle crash happened about 200 yards closer to the Beambridge at a minor road junction on the opposite side of the carriageway.

Wellington firefighters cut the driver free and he was taken by ambulance to Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, where he was said to be suffering injuries not thought to be ‘either life-threatening or life-changing’.

Avon and Somerset Police have appealed for information from anybody who witnessed the crash or might have dashcam footage.

A constabulary spokesperson said: “If you saw or have dashcam footage of what happened, or any other information about the collision, please call 101 and give the reference 5224106104.”

Somerset Council has not given any timescale for further planned safety work, which will involve installing three average speed cameras, the first on the county’s A roads.

Sampford Arundel Parish Council chairman Cllr Janet Lloyd, who lives nearby, said: “We have had two accidents in 11 days, so what the hell is going on?”

Cllr Lloyd said most drivers were abiding by the new speed limit but there were still a few who did not and enforcement was needed to make it effective.