Somerset Council has confirmed that designing a new cycle link along one of Bridgwater’s busiest roads will cost approximately £78,000. This project is part of ongoing efforts to enhance walking and cycling infrastructure on the A39 Bath Road, aiming to create safer and more convenient travel between Bridgwater town centre and Bridgwater & Taunton College.
Following the cancellation of the Cross Rifles roundabout upgrade, plans announced in August 2024 outline a vision to improve active travel along Bath Road. A key feature is a new pedestrian and cycling bridge crossing the railway line, connecting to the existing pedestrian crossing near the college entrance, McMillan Theatre, and Bridgwater & Albion Rugby Football Club.
The council is funding the initial design and feasibility phase using a central government grant, with further funding for construction to be sought from additional government sources and local housing developments.
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The draft local transport plan, anticipated to be ratified by spring 2026, commits to advancing the outline design for the Bath Road scheme, focusing on two sections: from Union Street to Kings Drive, and from College Way to Fairfax Road. The shorter section targets improvements between the college and Fairfax Road in a busy residential area near Wyndham Road, while the longer stretch aims to create a continuous active travel route from Union Street—already a pedestrian zone—along Bath Road, over the railway, past the Hinkley Point C workers’ campus, and linking Regal Walk’s transition into Kings Drive near Evergreen Parade housing estate and Willowdown Primary School.
Currently, Kings Drive and Willow Walk already feature segregated pedestrian and cycle paths, but the cycle lane ends before the entrance to BFF Technical Fabrics. Extending this path is a key objective to provide uninterrupted active travel access.
The project remains at the feasibility stage, and the timeline and total implementation costs for the improvements are still unknown. A council spokesperson stated, “Just over £78,000 has been committed; the full cost of delivery is unknown at this early stage.”
This design phase is funded through a £684,781 grant from Active Travel England, part of the Department for Transport, ensuring that no local taxpayers’ money is used at this stage. The balance of the grant—approximately £607,000—is earmarked for active travel improvements on the B3187 Taunton Road in Wellington, in preparation for the town’s new railway station.