Plans to create a new off-road walking and cycling route connecting the Somerset towns of Taunton and Wellington have received strong support from senior NHS leaders. Currently, pedestrians and cyclists must navigate the congested A38, a busy road with narrow or limited pavements, making active travel challenging.
The proposed Grand Western Greenway offers a safer, greener path by tracing much of the old Grand Western Canal route, running north of the A38. Retired Wellington resident Charles Biscoe, leading the initiative, has secured backing from key figures in the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, which operates Musgrove Park Hospital and other local health services.
Ahead of a forthcoming feasibility study defining the precise route, the project aims to stretch approximately 7.5 miles from the Longforth Farm housing development in Wellington to Taunton railway station. New sections of durable, all-weather paths will be built, following tested construction techniques used in projects like the Strawberry Line and the Glastonbury town deal.
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Starting at an existing footbridge in Wellington, the greenway will connect with the new railway station—a development confirmed in the recent government spending review. The route will then pass through East Nynehead and Bradford-on-Tone via the Nynehead boat lift, traverse land between the River Tone and railway line near Norton Fitzwarren housing, and approach the A3065 Silk Mills Road park and ride.
From there, hospital staff and patients can use the park and ride or existing routes through Longrun Meadow to access Musgrove Park Hospital. The path continues into Taunton, linking community spaces such as the Frieze Hill Community Orchard and Turners Allotments, before joining the cycle lane along A3087 Trenchard Way to the railway station.
NHS leaders highlight the health and environmental benefits of the greenway. Hayley Peters, chief nurse at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, emphasized how the route will encourage colleagues living near Wellington to cycle to work, boosting their well-being while reducing the Trust’s carbon footprint. She noted that offering patients and carers safer travel options is also important, as cycling and walking promote healthier lifestyles compared to driving.
With around 14,500 staff employed by the Trust, Peters draws on her experience in Devon. There, a similar cycle route saw steady growth in use after facilities like showers and lockers were added. “We are committed to improving infrastructure here at Musgrove,” she said, acknowledging that current amenities fall short of what’s needed.
Musgrove Hospital was among forty selected for upgrades in the government’s 2019 new hospitals programme; however, some improvements have been delayed until 2033. Despite this, Trust CEO Peter Lewis sees the greenway as an immediate opportunity to promote active travel and healthier lifestyles among staff and the wider community.
Lewis also highlights the greenway’s potential role in ‘social prescribing,’ where GPs recommend non-medical treatments such as exercise programs. By providing a safe and accessible route, the greenway can encourage more people to walk or cycle, enhancing patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.
“The A38 is a busy and often unpleasant road for cycling,” said Biscoe. “Having NHS leadership on board is a real boost. When we discuss this with local and national government, their support helps push the project forward.”
Taunton and Wellington MP Gideon Amos praised the new railway station as a key step in making the greenway a reality, envisioning uninterrupted cycling between the two towns.
The feasibility study is expected by late July. Once the route is finalized, project leaders will engage with landowners to secure access, making the vision of a healthier, greener Somerset closer to reality.