Somerset Council submits bid for £40 million to reopen road at Cleeve Hill
Funding sought to reinstate key route amid competitive £1bn national fund
Somerset Council has submitted a bid for funding from the Department for Transport’s Structures Fund, seeking financial assistance to reopen the B3191 Cleeve Hill to vehicular traffic. The road near Watchet has been closed since January 2023 due to concerns about cliff movement.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched a £1 billion grant funding opportunity aimed at covering capital costs for repairing or replacing critical local highway structures, which local authorities might struggle to finance independently.
The process is competitive, with local authorities nationwide vying for portions of the fund.
Eligibility criteria include urgent infrastructure repair needs, with structures requiring reopening by March 2030.
The fund prioritises enhancing the road network and repairing major structures, such as bridges.
However, it cannot be used to address other coastal erosion issues.
Somerset Council has submitted bids for both the B3191 at Cleeve Hill and embankment failures on the A371 at Ansford.
The Council considers the Cleeve Hill bid its first priority.
Councillor Richard Wilkins, Somerset Council's Lead Member for Highways and Transport, emphasised the significance of securing funding for Cleeve Hill: “There is of course no guarantee that we will be successful, but we must remain optimistic. Securing this funding is competitive, local authorities from across the country will be bidding for a portion of it. This has the support of all the local councillors and the local MP Rachel Gilmour, as well as many other stakeholders and businesses. It is the first real chance we have had to find a way to reinstate this vital route for the community since it closed in 2023.”
The closure of the B3191 has adversely impacted Watchet due to it being the sole vehicular route, leaving only a restricted path via a 150-year-old bridge for access.
Reviving the route is crucial for enhancing access and economic vitality in the area.
Beyond Cleeve Hill, Somerset Council is tackling embankment instability on the A371 at Ansford Hill.
While the Council has allocated funds for essential improvements, such as stabilisation and resurfacing, additional funding via the Structures Fund would facilitate wider enhancements, including embankment repairs and footway widening.
Works at Ansford Hill are anticipated to begin in Autumn 2027, after summer tourism and the Glastonbury Festival.