Rachel Gilmour, the MP for Minehead, has strongly urged the government to allocate funding for the reopening of the B3191 Cleeve Hill coastal road, a vital transport link currently closed due to coastal erosion concerns.
This road, stretching between Watchet and Blue Anchor, has long served as an important alternative route for holidaymakers and locals when the main A39 between Minehead and Williton experiences congestion. Since its indefinite closure by Somerset County Council in January 2023, traffic has been restricted to a single entry and exit point for Minehead via a 150-year-old bridge over the West Somerset Railway heritage line.
In late April, Somerset Council put forward a £40 million bid to the government’s structures fund with the aim of reopening the route. This proposal has received full backing from Mrs. Gilmour, who used a parliamentary debate on economic growth to highlight the critical role the road plays in supporting West Somerset’s economy.
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Mrs. Gilmour emphasized, “The lack of rural transport is a significant barrier to economic development, education, and much more. Real economic growth requires political determination, not just discussion. My constituents and local businesses urgently need the Watchet to Blue Anchor road reopened, alongside a rebuilt school in Tiverton and a government that promotes enterprise. So far, the necessary political will has been insufficient.”
Her appeal coincided with the International Monetary Fund’s recent upgrade of the UK’s economic growth forecast for 2026, raising the expected rate from 0.8% to 1%. However, the IMF also warned of inflation rising to 4% and the improbability of further interest rate cuts, influenced largely by geopolitical tensions between Iran and the United States.
Closing the debate, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby MP reiterated the government’s commitment to fostering shared prosperity: “Beyond immediate cost-of-living support, we must enable more jobs, business growth, and greater financial security for people across all communities. This is the essence of the Labour growth agenda, focused on stable and resilient economic progress.”
Somerset Council confirmed that the final submission for the structures fund bid is due by August 3, with the Department for Transport expected to announce the successful bids in the autumn, offering hope for a swift resolution to this critical infrastructure challenge.