Campaigners have called for a closed Somerset coast road to be turned into an “active travel paradise” to encourage more visitors to the area.
The B3191 connects Watchet and Blue Anchor on the west Somerset coast, serving as both a vital connection between the two settlements and an important diversionary route for holidaymakers when the A39 to Minehead is closed or congested.
The road was closed by Somerset County Council on January 12 after a geotechnical survey showed that heavy rainfall had accelerated the ongoing erosion along this stretch of the coast.
Following more detailed inspections, the council confirmed in late-February that “further movement in inevitable” and that it will be impossible to reopen the entire road without “major intervention”.
Now the Minehead Area Active Travel Group has called on the road to be reopened for non-motorised vehicles, believing this would bring more visitors to Watchet and the surrounding villages.
The group posted its views on its official Twitter feed, calling on the council to use the road closure as an opportunity to trial new ideas.
A spokesman said: “While [the B3191] is closed, it would be a good opportunity to experiment with turning the area into an ‘active travel paradise’.
“Holidaymakers would flock to a low traffic area. All that is needed is to make an alternative route for cyclists – much cheaper than fixing the road.”
The road is currently closed on Cleeve Hill at the Watchet end between the Daw’s Castle heritage site and the Saxon Ridge residential area.
The English Coast Path between Blue Anchor and Watchet was diverted inland in August 2022.
The road can still be accessed from the Blue Anchor end, where a £3.7m scheme to protect the Anchor’s Drop pub and the neighbouring properties will be getting under way in the spring.
Plans were put forward by the Cleeve Hill Development Group to divert this stretch of the road inland as part of a development of 136 homes; however, these were refused by Somerset West and Taunton Council’s planning committee shortly before this most recent closure was implemented.
Councillor Mike Rigby, portfolio holder for transport and digital, said work was under way to provide an alternative route for cyclists to access both settlements which would avoid the A39.
He tweeted: “We have opened an alternative footpath and are now looking at how to put in a cycling diversion.
“Legal advice says that if we allow walkers and cyclists through the existing road, we retain the same liability as we have for motor vehicle passage.”
Cyclists can currently access the villages around the B3191 using the Mineral Line cycling route, which runs from Whitehall under the West Somerset Railway line, past the former Wansborough Paper Mill and down to Washford.
Numerous other public rights of way to the south of Cleeve Hill remain open to the public, including one providing access from Whitehall to Daw’s Castle.
Categories: Transport Highways EnvironmentLocations:Authorities: Somerset County CouncilLDRS FAQs