Residents and visitors in west Somerset face a summer filled with uncertainty as the fate of a £41 million bid to reopen a vital local road hangs in the balance. The B3191 Cleeve Hill, connecting Watchet and Blue Anchor, has served as an important diversionary route for holidaymakers whenever the main A39 between Minehead and Williton becomes congested.
In January 2023, Somerset County Council closed the B3191 indefinitely over concerns about coastal erosion, leaving the community with only a single access route into the town centre - a 150-year-old bridge crossing the West Somerset Railway heritage line. This has heightened worries among residents and local businesses regarding accessibility and safety.
After Somerset Council replaced the county council in April 2023, it announced in late April that it would apply to the government’s £1 billion structures fund to secure financing to reopen the road. The council is exploring options to either reinforce the existing route or realign it further inland to improve safety and resilience.
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This bid has now been formally submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT). Local MP Rachel Gilmour has written a strong letter to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, urging her to support the proposal. The community can expect to learn the outcome of the funding decision in the autumn, with plans to implement any approved scheme by 2030.
In her letter dated 27 July, Mrs Gilmour expressed her “strongest possible support” for the council’s application. She emphasised the project’s “critical importance to the communities, businesses and economy of Watchet and the wider west Somerset area” and argued that the case for government backing was “overwhelming.”
She highlighted that Watchet currently depends on the single vehicle access point over the ageing bridge, creating vulnerabilities during incidents, maintenance, or extreme weather events. The region relies heavily on tourism and hospitality, with the B3191 providing essential access to holiday parks, caravan sites, camping areas, and visitor attractions that underpin the local economy.
Mrs Gilmour further noted that current diversionary routes are unsuitable for coaches, large vehicles and caravans, putting undue strain on rural roads and affecting confidence, investment, and growth in an area already challenged by limited employment opportunities and connectivity.
The road has been accessible to pedestrians and cyclists since spring 2024, but following a public consultation, it was permanently closed to motorists in October 2025. Based on a 2020 study by engineering consultants WSP, the council intends to realign the road inland alongside the railway line and install additional rock armour at the cliff base to mitigate ongoing erosion.
Describing the initiative, Mrs Gilmour said: “This scheme is not simply about replacing a road. It is about safeguarding the future of a coastal community. Few infrastructure projects better represent the government’s aims of supporting economic growth, enhancing resilience, and investing in communities at risk of being left behind.”
She urged the DfT to give the application “the fullest and most favourable consideration,” affirming wide local support from residents, businesses, community leaders, and elected officials.
According to Somerset Council’s published bid, the estimated total cost is approximately £40.8 million. Ninety per cent of this (£36.7 million) is requested from the DfT’s structures fund, while the council intends to contribute just over £2 million, representing five per cent. The Environment Agency will also provide five per cent toward the project cost.
Councillor Richard Wilkins, portfolio holder for highways and transport, acknowledged the competitive nature of the funding process but remained hopeful: “While there are no guarantees, we must be optimistic. Local authorities nationwide are vying for this funding. This represents our first genuine opportunity to reinstate a vital route for the community since its closure in 2023. We’ve been advocating for this funding from the outset and will continue to do so.”
The Department for Transport is expected to announce the successful bids within the next three months, determining the road’s future and, by extension, the wellbeing of the west Somerset community.