Efforts to complete a vital missing link on the long-distance Strawberry Line cycle route in Somerset face delays due to inaction by a central government body.
The Strawberry Line multi-user path currently runs uninterrupted from Yatton railway station to Labourham Way in Cheddar and is planned to extend all the way to Collett Park in Shepton Mallet. In October 2024, a new pedestrian and cycling bridge over the B3136 West Shepton was installed, successfully connecting the town centre to Ridge Road on Shepton Mallet’s southwestern edge.
However, progress westward to join the Dulcote section has stalled. The Strawberry Line Society has been working closely with the Historic Railways Estate (HRE), part of National Highways, to reopen an arch beneath Ridge Road. This arch, part of the former railway Stump Cross Bridge, would allow safe passage for cyclists and pedestrians below the busy road. Despite over two years of partnership, no tangible progress has been made. Crucially, access through this arch is needed to secure cooperation from neighboring landowners to complete the route.
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Since taking ownership of the site in 2013, HRE has filled the railway bridge arches to create protected bat habitats, reinforcing the bridge to support local farmland traffic. While two arches have been sealed for bats, the third remains infilled but seemingly recoverable. Mick Fletcher, chairman of the Strawberry Line Society, explains that minimal excavation could reopen this passage without harming the protected species inhabiting the structure.
Much of the connecting path between Ridge Road and Collett Park was completed in March 2023, including safe underpasses beneath the A371 Cannard’s Grave Road. Additionally, Greenways and Cycle Routes secured land allowing for rerouting beneath Ridge Road once the arch reopens. Volunteers have erected fencing separating existing farmland from the former railway cutting to facilitate the project.
Fletcher highlights that Ridge Road serves heavy agricultural traffic and acts as a congested shortcut for local drivers, especially during events like the Glastonbury Festival—making a safe, off-road cycling and walking route all the more important. He emphasizes past successful cooperation with HRE on projects like the route under the Tesco bridge and Windsor Hill tunnels, making the current stalemate particularly disappointing.
The Strawberry Line Society is committed to both expanding access and conserving local wildlife. Fletcher states that they fully support stringent protections for bat species and understand the need for Natural England licensing. He argues that the limited work needed to reopen the arch would cause less disturbance than previous modifications and expresses optimism that bats would return afterward.
“This section will become one of the most scenic parts of the Strawberry Line, overlooking the Somerset Levels and views toward Glastonbury and Wells. It would be a valuable addition, bringing us tantalizingly close to completing the link to Wells,” Fletcher said.
Despite repeated assurances, progress remains frustratingly slow. Fletcher calls for greater transparency and a broader perspective from HRE, underscoring the path’s value for safe, sustainable travel.
Somerset Council is expected to allocate additional funding for the Strawberry Line and the larger Somerset Circle cycle network later this month. Fletcher remains hopeful that with HRE’s cooperation, construction could begin as early as this summer. The society has briefed local MP Tessa Munt and may consider escalating political action if necessary.
HRE project manager Matthew Irwin confirmed ongoing collaboration with stakeholders and is reviewing ecological and safety impact reports to find the best way forward. He assured that joint decisions would be communicated in due course.