Image
The improvements have received cross-party support from North Somerset councillors and key community groups, after the council listened to local residents and made further changes. Local councillors, Clevedon Town Council, Clevedon Business Improvement District (BID), the Pier Trust and other interested parties have also been fully engaged in the development of the scheme and are in favour of the amended improvements.
With £500,000 of external grant funding from the Department for Transport, the scheme will improve access for pedestrians and cyclists in Clevedon.
The scheme, which includes a range of improvements to the Beach/Hill Road and a 20mph area, aims to encourage more walking and cycling in the town as part of North Somerset Council's commitment to promoting healthier lifestyles and tackling the climate emergency. The works are also part of the popular Pier to Pier Way which will soon be completed providing an attractive new route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders between Weston and Clevedon.
The Tutshill Sluice improvements on the Pier to Pier Way, which is jointly funded by North Somerset Council, National Highways, Department for Transport via Sustrans and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, are due to open in the summer.
Cllr Don Davies, The Leader of North Somerset Council, said this was an important scheme that would bring benefits to Clevedon.
"This is a great scheme that aims to provide greater health benefits to residents, aid economic recovery and encourage people to use active travel as their main transport of choice."
Cllr Caroline Cherry, North Somerset Council's ward member for Clevedon Walton added: "This scheme aims to improve how people move around Clevedon and beyond. By widening the pavement and providing more informal crossing places, along with lower traffic speeds, we hope to encourage more visits to the town on foot and by bike.
"New segregated cycle lanes will help this and complement the exciting Pier to Pier cycle route from Weston-super-Mare to Clevedon. More outdoor seating and plants will enhance the pleasant streetscapes and aid economic recovery for local businesses."
Cllr Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council's executive member with responsibility for sustainable travel added: "In order to deliver these changes some road space needs to be reallocated, resulting in a one-way layout for The Beach and Hill Road and additional car parking relocated to Elton Road. Overall car parking will have a net gain in spaces, throughout the area as a whole”.
"In order to deliver this scheme in the most appropriate way we will be undertaking the work in two phases in order to minimise disruption to businesses. The works to The Beach will now be done in the autumn after the busy summer period."
Following the completion of the design and consultation stages, work in Hill Road to create a 20mph area will start after Easter avoiding holiday periods.
The proposals for improvements on The Beach and Hill Road include:
• Pavement widening and better crossing facilities
• More seating and planters
• Cycle lanes and cycle parking
• 20mph speed limits
• Additional car parking (in the wider area)
• One-way roads on two key streets.
North Somerset Council has consulted extensively on the proposals. Over 1,000 comments were made as part of the public consultation which finished in April 2021 and the scheme was amended following excellent local input and knowledge by residents and businesses. Over 50 per cent of comments were positive and the scheme was backed by Clevedon Town Council.
North Somerset Council is now satisfied it has the right scheme encompassing a range of views and stakeholder comments.
Details of the consultation process can be found at https://n-somerset.inconsult.uk/cata/consultationHome