Somerset Council is set to invest nearly £607,000 to enhance Wellington’s cycling infrastructure, ensuring a new cycle link is operational before the town’s upcoming railway station opens. The funding, sourced entirely from a government grant via Active Travel England, aims to improve connectivity and promote sustainable travel between the town centre and the new station.
The new railway station, projected to cost up to £20 million, will be located north of Lidl on Nynehead Road. Access to the station is integrated with a development of 161 homes by Bloor Homes South West. This development will feature new pedestrian and cycling routes along the main spine road, connecting the Nynehead Road roundabout with the station, and providing a direct southward link to Taunton Road (B3187), facilitating easy access into the town centre.
The council’s draft local transport plan, expected to be ratified in spring 2026, commits to the detailed design and construction of the Taunton Road scheme. This short but vital segment—spanning from Nynehead roundabout to Lillebonne Way roundabout—forms part of Route 2 within Wellington’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP). Ultimately, Route 2 will offer an off-road cycle path connecting the town centre to Chelston roundabout and onward to the Westpark 26 business park.
READ MORE: Council Urged to Halt Further Public Spending on Glastonbury’s Life Factory Project
READ MORE: Former Bristol City Boss Gary Johnson Embraces New Challenge at Taunton Town
Currently, a shared use path exists west of Nynehead Road roundabout, running along both sides of Taunton Road up to the bus stop near Lidl. However, cyclists must share the road with vehicles east of Cades Gardens junction, continuing on-road through to Taunton Road roundabout and into the town centre. The new project will create a safer, more continuous off-road cycling route along this stretch.
A Somerset Council spokesperson stated, “Our intention is to construct this Active Travel England-funded scheme by March 2027, to align with funder requirements.” The council plans to make a decision on the Bloor Homes development by spring 2026, with the proposal expected to be reviewed publicly by the council’s planning committee west, given its significance.
Meanwhile, Network Rail will submit a separate planning application early next year for the new station and related infrastructure, aiming to begin construction ahead of the station’s anticipated 2028 opening.