Coastal Somerset road given permanent road closure notice
A coastal road in Somerset faces being permanently closed for safety reasons.The B3191 Cleeve Hill near Watchet was closed in January 2023 because of fears of costal erosion.The road was initially shut to cars under a temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TRO), but declares safe for pedestrians and cyclists in 2024.Somerset council has now said it will apply for a permanent TRO, as it does not have the "major funding" needed to safeguard the road or build a replacement.
The council said it "remains committed to exploring all potential sources of funding and is continuing to lobby for transport investment in the area".The TRO can be reversed in the future should funding become available, it added.
The B3191 at Cleeve Hill is situated high on the cliffs on the coastline between Watchet and Blue Anchor.As the road is close to the cliff and had experienced regular landslips, sensors were installed to pick up earth movements and alert the council's Highways Team.Detailed inspections after January 2023 showed further movement was inevitable and convinced council officials that it would be impossible to safely reopen the road to vehicles without major structural and stabilisation measures.The council has completed cliff protection works at nearby Blue Anchor in order to ensure that an alternative route remains available for traffic to access businesses and destinations along the B3191.
Somerset Council's lead member for transport and waste, councillor Richard Wilkins said: "The situation is unchanged - the B3191 remains unsafe for motor vehicles, but we need to move to a proper legal position with respect to these roads."However, we are continuing to lobby for transport investment in our county, when funding streams become available we will lobby strongly on behalf of local communities."The Council has been successful in influencing the Peninsula Transport Strategic Investment Plan which sets out agreed regional priorities for transport investment in the south west peninsula."This plan highlights the need for a Watchet Coastal Erosion Package as one of the investment priorities for the region and will be used to help prioritise regional investment as and when appropriate funding sources become available."
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