Days left to prevent permanent closure of key Somerset coastal road
The B3191 Cleeve Hill served as a key commuting route for locals
Last updated 6th Jun 2025
Somerset residents only have a few days to object to the permanent closure of a key coastal road.
The B3191 Cleeve Hill, which links Watchet to Blue Anchor, served as a key commuting route for locals, and provided a valuable diversionary route for holidaymakers whenever the A39 between Minehead and Williton was congested.
The road was closed indefinitely by Somerset County Council in January 2023 due to concerns about coastal erosion – and while pedestrians and cyclists have been able to use the route since the spring of 2024, motorised vehicles are still banned along this entire stretch.
Somerset Council (which replaced the county council in April 2023) confirmed on May 19 that it would be making an order to permanently close the road until funding to divert the route inland became available – similar to what it recently implemented with the closure of Chinnock Hollow near Yeovil.
Residents now only have until June 12 to lodge formal objections to the traffic regulation order (TRO) – with local Conservatives and Liberal Democrats both calling for the council not to implement the order and push harder for the road to be reinstated.
Exmoor farmer James Wright, chairman of the South West Conservative Rural Forum, is urging residents to sign an open letter to Somerset Council opposing the closure.
He said: “This road plays a critical role in getting from A to B, supporting our economy and the daily life of the communities along the west Somerset coast.
“A permanent closure, without an alternative solution in place, would have long-lasting and deeply damaging consequences for local businesses, emergency access, tourism, and residents’ quality of life.
“While safety must always be the top priority, I urge Somerset Council to pause this closure and instead pursue a serious, transparent strategy to safeguard or replace the route.
“Solutions may not be easy, but abandoning this road cannot be the final answer.
Rachel Gilmour, the Lib Dem MP for Tiverton and Minehead,has been pushing for transport secretary Heidi Alexander MP to visit Watchet to see the impact of the road closure first-hand on local businesses.
She said: “I am glad that local people are joining my campaign around the B3191, and recognise its significance to west Somerset.
“While the permanent closure was inevitable due to the risks associated with the road, I will continue to press for solutions at a national and local government level, so that Watchet and Blue Anchor can have the road infrastructure that both towns need and deserve.
“That was part of the reason why I invited the transport secretary down to the Tiverton and Minehead constituency, to see these issues for herself.
“I will never stop fighting on behalf of my constituents, so the government will be hearing more on this from me in the future.”
To sign Mr Wright’s open letter against the closure of Cleeve Hill, visit www.james-wright.org.uk/news/add-your-name-save-b3191-cleeve-hill-watchet.
For more information on the TRO proposals, visit this website.