Somerset Council is approaching a critical deadline to deliver a new, wider footbridge over the River Tone in Taunton town centre, utilising central government funding earmarked for the project. The council has secured planning permission, granted in August 2024, to remove the existing Morrisons footbridge-which connects the Morrisons supermarket to the Brewhouse Theatre-and replace it with a modern structure that better accommodates pedestrians and cyclists.
The project, largely financed through central government grants, has faced repeated delays over the past two years. These postponements were partly due to the council prioritising other regeneration initiatives, such as the development of new boulevards at the nearby Firepool site.
Nevertheless, the council has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering the bridge, stating that the final designs are “nearly complete”. Officials are currently awaiting feedback from relevant statutory bodies before proceeding to the next stages.
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With just over six months remaining to formally approve the scheme and appoint a contractor, time is running short. Failure to do so will require the council to return a significant portion of the allocated funds to the Treasury.
The update on the bridge featured as part of a wider report on Somerset Council’s capital programme, discussed by the executive committee in Taunton earlier this month (5 August). The same report outlined delays to two new primary school projects in Chard and the Wilstock estate near Bridgwater, owing to sharp cost increases.
A council spokesperson explained: “The current plan to deliver a cycle link in Taunton town centre involves replacing the existing Coal Orchard footbridge. The new bridge will feature a four-metre-wide deck and a ramp on the Morrisons side, alongside enhancements to public realm and landscaping.”
Currently, the existing footbridge forms part of National Cycle Network route 3, which runs along the River Tone’s north bank before connecting to the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal. Cyclists using the bridge must presently dismount due to its narrow width lacking safe shared use for pedestrians and cyclists.
To comply with the Department for Transport’s Local Transport Note (LTN) 120 guidelines, the new bridge must be at least four metres wide to safely accommodate simultaneous pedestrian and cyclist use. The north bank ramp will be replaced with steps, while a longer, shallower ramp will be constructed on the opposite side to improve accessibility.
Taunton was awarded nearly £14 million in December 2020 from the former Conservative government’s Future High Streets Fund to support various improvements between the railway station and Vivary Park. Most of this funding has been allocated to the Firepool boulevard and upgrading the signalised crossing on A38 Upper High Street.
Should additional funds be required for the bridge, projected to cost approximately £2 million in 2024, these will be sourced from local housing developments through the community infrastructure levy (CIL).
The spokesperson added: “Final designs and costs are nearly complete, pending statutory authority feedback. A key decision will be needed to progress to construction. The build phase is expected to take around six months.”
If the council decides not to proceed, there will be fewer than six months remaining to negotiate with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to repurpose the remaining grant funding for other minor town centre projects. Failure to reach an agreement or appoint a contractor by 31 March 2027 will necessitate the return of all unspent grant funds.
Conversely, if the bridge project moves forward, it is required by grant terms to be completed and operational by April 2028.