Somerset Council has published new plans this week for upgrades to safe cycling and walking routes in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge – plus other county towns – to help create “greener, healthier and more active streets.”
The Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) for Wellington, Chard, Burnham and Highbridge have been published. The Council has already created plans for Yeovil, Taunton, Bridgwater and Frome.
“The plans are focused 10-year plans for developing a cycle and walking network within each local area,” explains a spokesperson.
“The aim is to secure funding over the next decade for significant new safe routes for cyclists and pedestrians across all Somerset’s towns. These are evolving plans which will continue to develop over time, with the views and suggestions from the public key.”
Local routes identified for improvements
Town Centre Core Walking Zone – Burnham-On-Sea
- Where: The Core Walking Zone covers the walking and wheeling routes in the town
centre of Burnham-On-Sea. - Why: A large number of destinations for walking and wheeling journeys are located in the town centre, including shops and businesses, cafes, pubs and restaurants, as wellbeing an important visitor destination, with the beach and seaside attractions.
- Next steps: It is proposed that detailed audits of the important walking routes in
Burnham-On-Sea town centre are undertaken as part of a future version of the LCWIP.
Many of the issues and concerns identified in Highbridge town centre are likely to
feature in Burnham-On-Sea, in terms of safe crossings, junction designs, footway
widths, motor vehicle traffic speeds and flows, and quality of public spaces. Any
improvements for walking and wheeling needs to take account of other transport
considerations, including deliveries, access to local businesses and homes, parking,
routes for traffic circulation including buses, and what can accommodated in the
available space. It is therefore recommended that a detailed study is undertaken to identify transport solutions for the town centre as a whole.
Town Centre Core Walking Zone – Highbridge
- Where: The Core Walking Zone covers the walking and wheeling routes in Highbridge
town centre. This includes the principal streets, Market Street and Church Street, and linking routes. - Why: A large number of destinations for walking and wheeling journeys are located in Highbridge town centre, including shops and businesses, cafes, pubs and restaurants, and the rail station.
- Key issues: Church Street forms part of the A38 and provides a strategic vehicle
route, resulting in high traffic flows through the town centre (average daily traffic flows
of 13,754 vehicles in 2021). There are also substantial traffic flows on Market Street
(average daily flows of 6,171 vehicles in 2018). The town centre has narrow footways in many places, including on Church Street and Market Street. Footways cross busy side roads and accesses without infrastructure to emphasise pedestrian priority. The Clock Roundabout is currently designed to prioritise motor vehicle movements, and does not cater well for active travel, with multiple traffic lanes to cross and no nearby signal or zebra crossings.
Summary of potential improvements in Highbridge:
- Measures to ensure low traffic speeds, such as 20mph limits, traffic calming, street redesign and features including planting.
- Identify options to enhance, or create new, north-south routes for walking and wheeling, as alternatives to Church Street.
- Redesign and upgrade the Clock Roundabout junction to provide safer direct crossings for people walking and wheeling.
- Redesign Market Street with wider footways, and other improvements such as tree planting and seating.
- Redesign the station forecourt area and approaches, with upgraded direct walking links to the town centre.
- Create new safe crossing of Market Street, potentially near rail station access
- Redesign side road and accessway crossings to enable safer walking and wheeling movements and emphasise pedestrian priority
Route 1 – Berrow to Burnham-On-Sea Town Centre
- Where: This route runs north to south along the B3140 Berrow Road from the Brent
Road junction to the Victoria Road junction. - Why: It links key residential areas and holiday parks north of Burnham-on-Sea town centre to the town facilities.
- Key issues: The route currently has high traffic flows, particularly in the summer
months and there is no dedicated cycle infrastructure. There are sections of narrow
footways, including where usable width is reduced by street furniture or by laybys, and there are some places without footways on both sides of the road. Whilst there are two signal crossings and one zebra crossing along the route, there is a 0.8 mile (1.3km)
gap in these between the Applegreen Filling Station and Manor Park. There are also a
number of very wide junctions, including Sea View Road, Victoria Street and at The
Triangle, which are busy, and can be particularly difficult to cross for people walking and wheeling.
In 2017 consultancy Greenways and Cycleroutes undertook a study investigating
opportunities to enhance cycling connections between Brean, Berrow and Burnham-On-Sea. This proposed an upgraded route for walking, wheeling and cycling (a greenway) parallel to and west of Berrow Road. The proposal was supported by Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge Town Council and Berrow Parish Council and
planning permission was secured for this in 2018 (application reference 05/18/0006),
but has not been implemented.
The same study also suggested that the greenway could be linked to Burnham-on-Sea town centre via residential roads east and west of Berrow Road. The 2017 study
identified a route along Shelley Drive, Brambles Road, Stoddens Road, Rectory Road, Parnell Way and the footpath link to Charlestone Road. Consideration will be needed as to whether this alignment meets the design standards outlined in Local Transport Note 1/20.Summary of key potential improvements:
• Redesign side road junctions along Berrow Road to support safe walking and
wheeling journeys, especially the widest and busiest junctions, considering
potential requirements for signal or zebra crossings.
• Identify opportunities to widen footways.
• Continuous cycle tracks protected from motor traffic along Brean Road cannot be
accommodated due to the limited highway widths. A safe alternative route will need
to be identified. This is likely to be a combination of routes along existing roads and completely new alignments.
Consider whether alternative north-south walking routes can be created in the
longer term, running parallel to Brean Road.
Route 2: Burnham-On-Sea to Highbridge town centre
- Where: This route runs east to west between the two town centres. There are several alternative routes
- Why: It provides connections to the destinations in the two town centres from the residential areas between them. The route also provides access to The King Alfred School and three primary schools.Key issues:
• The main road routes between the two towns (Burnham Road, Highbridge Road,
Oxford Street and Marine Drive) have high traffic flows, with 8,350 daily motor
vehicle movements recorded on Highbridge Road south of Worston Lane in 2019.
• Whilst there is an existing traffic-free route along the banks of the River Brue, there are several important residential areas and destinations it does not serve, including The King Alfred School. Another traffic-free path follows part of the former railway line, but does not connect all the way into Burnham-On-Sea town centre.
• There are a number of wide side roads or busy junctions along the whole route
which can be difficult for people walking and wheeling to cross, including the Manor
Road / Oxford Street / Love Lane roundabout (Esso roundabout) and the Burnham Road / Marine Drive roundabout.
• There are many narrow sections of footways along Oxford Street, which do not
cater well for journeys to the range of local destinations, including nearby primary
schools. Whilst there are six zebra and signal crossings along the Oxford Street –
Highbridge Road – Burnham Road corridor, there is a 0.8 mile (1.3km) gap without
these crossings north of The King Alfred School. There are also none currently
provided along Marine Drive and Old Station Approach except at the High Street
signal crossroads.Summary of key potential improvements:
• Construct cycle track along Marine Drive and the section of Burnham Road
between Marine Drive and North Avenue, with redesigned side road junctions, and
new and improved crossings to connect to local destinations, including The King
Alfred School, and residential areas. Space constraints mean that a cycle track
could not be accommodated as well as two traffic lanes along Oxford Street and
Highbridge Road in Burnham-on-Sea, or on Church Street and the eastern end of
Burnham Road in Highbridge.
• Create signposted ‘quietways’ for cycling in the Morland estate south of Burnham
Road, to connect the railway path from Highbridge town centre to the cycle track - Measures to ensure low traffic speeds, such as 20mph limits and/or the introduction
of traffic calming, to create a safer environment for walking, wheeling and cycling along the route as a whole.
• Improve the traffic free path along the former railway line, including reviewing and
upgrading lighting and widening the path to provide separate space for people
walking / wheeling and cycling.
• Identify locations for footway widening on Oxford Street where space allows, and
relocate street furniture to increase usable footway width.
• Redesign side road junctions to support safe walking and wheeling journeys,
especially the widest junctions, such as the Oxford Street / Adam Street junction,
and at the accesses to The King Alfred School.
• Consider the introduction of measures such as a School Street for Ashley Avenue,
to enhance children’s safety and support active travel to local schools. School
Streets are timed restrictions on motorised traffic on roads outside of schools, at
drop-off and pick-up times.
• Redesign Love Lane / Manor Road / Oxford Street (Esso) roundabout layout to
enable safer shorter crossings for people walking and wheeling. Consider installing
signal zebra / crossings. Consider the potential for St. Andrew’s Road to be one-way southbound to simplify pedestrian crossing.
• Identify locations for new and improved crossings on Oxford Street and Burnham
Road, to fill in the gap between existing zebra and signal crossings.
Route 3 – Love Lane to Highbridge town centre
- Where: Route 3 runs from northeast Burnham-On-Sea along Love Lane, Frank Foley Parkway and Pepperall Road to link up with Route at Burnham Road.
- Why: It connects residential areas in North Burnham to destinations including
Highbridge town centre and The King Alfred School (via sections of Route 2). - Key issues: The route currently has a 30mph speed limit and high traffic flows. There are cycle tracks along some parts of the route (alongside the northern section of Love Lane and Frank Foley Parkway); however this pre-dates government’s design
standards set out in Local Transport Note 1/20, such as path width and priority at side
roads. On other sections of the route where there is no dedicated infrastructure, people
cycling have to mix with the heavy traffic flows.
There are also a number of junctions which can be difficult for people walking,
wheeling and cycling to cross, including the Love Lane / B3140 (Tesco) roundabout,
and the junctions of Ben Travers Way and Frank Foley Parkway. Issues include
locations with no provision for people cycling to safely cross roads with high traffic
flows, and very wide, flared side roads, which lengthen the distance people must cross and enables drivers to make turning manoeuvres at higher speeds, with associated safety risks.
Summary of key potential improvements: - Construct continuous cycle tracks along Love Lane (to Tesco Roundabout), Frank
Foley Parkway and Pepperall Road. This is likely to be a combination of widening
and upgrading existing infrastructure and creating new cycle tracks where currently
not provided. This would require a redesign of the road layout in many places,
including side road junctions. - Provide new and improved crossings at or close to the major junctions to support
safe walking, wheeling and cycling journeys, such as at the (Tesco) roundabout and
Burnham Road / Pepperall Road junction. - Construct cycle track on section of Burnham Road between Pepperall Road and Morland Road, to link into quietways for cycling through the Morland Estate, south of Burnham Road.
Route 4: Highbridge town centre to Isleport Business Park and Isleport
Grove Development
- Where: Route 4 follows Market Street, Walrow, Mark Road and Bennett Road. It links to routes 2 and 3 at the Highbridge Clock Roundabout.
- Why: This route provides connections to Highbridge and Burnham rail station, the Aldi supermarket and major employment sites at Isleport Business Park and Walrow
Industrial Estate. It also connects the new residential development on the eastern side
of Highbridge, Isleport Grove, to town centre destinations. - Key issues: The rail line splits Highbridge into two parts. The existing routes across
the rail line are the B3139 overbridge by the rail station, the A38 Bristol Road
overbridge and a public footpath via a level crossing and north of the Walrow Ponds.
East of the rail line, the B3139 and A38 are connected by Bennett Road, running
through the Isleport Business Park. The B3139, A38 and Bennett Road have high
traffic flows, including significant numbers of heavy goods vehicles. The roundabouts at the northern and southern ends of Bennett Road are designed to prioritise motor vehicle movements, and do not cater well for active travel.
There are a number of pinch points, particularly on Market Street and Walrow, with narrow sections of footways and carriageways. The narrow rail overbridge by the station operates on one-way working controlled by shuttle signals, with a separate footbridge on its northern side. There is no dedicated cycle infrastructure along the route, and initial assessment indicates that is not enough space to accommodate a cycle track along all parts of the B3139 in the town (Market Street – Walrow – Mark Rd as well as two traffic lanes) - Summary of key potential improvements:
- Improved crossings to enable safer walking, wheeling and cycling journeys at the roundabouts at the northern and southern ends of Bennett Road, particularly to cater for east-west journeys.
- Construct cycle tracks along Bennett Road, subject to liaising with Isleport Business Park landowners to confirm whether there is sufficient space.
- Identify opportunities to widen the narrowest sections of footway along the B3139 (Market Street – Walrow – Mark Road), and work with partner organisations to ensure that motor vehicles do not park on the footways west of the Bennett Road roundabout.
- Carry out detailed study to identify design options to provide a safe cycle route to connect together the areas of Highbridge east and west of the railway. The study should take account of the space constraints and access requirements for different transport modes. Amongst other things it should consider:
1. how safe space for cycling and better provision for could be achieved at the existing rail overbridges, and what might be possible if the bridges needed to be replaced; including improved accessibility for disabled and wheeled users.
2. how traffic circulation might need to change to accommodate improved infrastructure for active travel
3. what could be achieved for active travel in both the short and longer term
The plan adds for Burnham and Highbridge: “Many walking journeys, and more limited levels of cycling, currently take place in and around Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge at present. Comprehensive data on local active travel is not available for all journey purposes; however, information is available for travel to school and to work.”
“14% of Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge’s residents who commuted to a usual workplace usually walk to work whilst 6% typically commute by bicycle; and 60% of children attend Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge state schools walked to school and 5% cycled.”
“However, there is significant potential for many more journeys to be made by active travel modes: A government forecasting tool (the Propensity to Cycle Tool) suggests that, in the most ambitious scenarios, and if safe and suitable networks were in place, there is the potential for up to 38% of journeys to work by Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge residents to be walked or cycled; and and up to 77% of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge schoolchildren to walk or cycle to school.”
It adds: “Burnham and Highbridge are relatively compact, being approximately 2.2 miles 3.5km) north to south from Berrow Triangle to the River Brue, and around 1.9 miles (3km) east to west from Isleport Business Park to Burnham beach. Therefore, many journeys within Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge are distances that could be walked or cycled by many people, if safe and suitable routes were in place.
“Many destinations are within 1 mile (1.6km) of people’s homes and the majority of people are within a 1 mile (1.6km) walk of either town centre. These are distances which many people can easily walk, if the routes are safe, inclusive, direct and attractive. All parts of Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge are within 5 miles (8km) of each other, a journey length which can be easily cycled by many people if the conditions were suitable. Additionally, some communities surrounding the towns are also within comfortable cycling distance, including Berrow and Huntspill.”
Expanding the active travel network is an essential part of Somerset Council’s strategy for developing sustainable transport. The Council has worked closely with Local Community Networks, cycling charities and local cycling groups to develop the plans.
How will the plans be funded?
A spokesperson says: “Somerset Council and Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge Town Council will work in partnership with other organisations to secure funding to deliver the LCWIP. Investment will be derived from a range of sources.”
“They include potential contributions from The Department for Transport; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government potential future bidding rounds; Somerset Council’s Local Transport Plan budget; Developers via planning permissions; and other partner organisations, such as the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership or Great Western Railway.”
“Infrastructure proposals from the LCWIP will be considered for inclusion in capital investment bids, which may draw on a range of national or local funding streams, including those listed above. The inclusion of proposals in this LCWIP indicates that they are based on strong evidence.”
“The Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge LCWIP will form part of a county-wide pipeline of active travel infrastructure schemes devised by Somerset Council in partnership with the Town and Parish Councils.”
Burnham town councillor Ganesh Gudka, who has been involved in compiling the local plans, says: “We have been working at this for a long time. The LCWIP has been a key aspect of our ambition to support healthier, less costly and greener ways of moving around our town. The publication of the plan is just the start of the journey as the hard work to fund and implement these ideas with Somerset Council starts now. But I am delighted that we have taken the first step along the road.”
You can access and comment on the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans here: Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans and view the detailed Burnham and Highbridge plan here.
