Work starts on long-awaited Weston-super-Mare to Clevedon cycle route

The Pier to Pier Way is set to open next summer.

Work has begun on a "long-awaited" cycle path connecting Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon.

The £3.1m 'Pier to Pier' Way is set to open next summer after the planning application received considerable public support.

According to North Somerset Council, the route will provide a route for walkers, cyclists and horse-riders, and is expected to serve 70,000 one-way trips a year.

This will result in 145 tonnes of CO2 savings every year, the authority claims.

Initial work will involve building a new river crossing and repurposing existing ones over the Congresbury Yeo and Oldbridge rivers.

Highways England announces new cycle and walking project for the South West
Huge North Sea oil rig to be brought to Weston-super-Mare beach

The £3.1m project is funded by North Somerset Council, National Highways, the Department for Transport via Sustrans and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

Councillor Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council's executive member in charge of sustainable travel said the project has already taken a lot of unseen hard work.

"We are very grateful for the cooperation and support of the various landowners and stakeholders involved and not least the confidence of the scheme funders, all of which have been essential to make this scheme possible", he said.

Bosses say the new route will cut 6.5km from the current road route between Weston and Clevedon, helping walkers, cyclists and horse-riders avoid longer and busier routes including sections of the A370 and J21 of the M5. 

Jon Usher, head of partnerships at Sustrans added: “It’s excellent to see this long-awaited project coming to fruition. It is part of our Paths for Everyone programme, completing a missing link on the National Cycle Network. 

"The route will be safer and a more enjoyable way to travel by foot or wheel between the two towns. It will connect two thriving communities and open up a brand new sustainable tourism route for the region - helping the area’s economic recovery from the pandemic.”

The final phase of the project will be the continuation of the route from Clevedon to Portishead, with links on to Bristol.