Plans for a brand new cycle path between Weston Pier and Brean Down are edging closer to becoming a reality.
John Grimshaw, the manager of Greenways and Cycleroutes Ltd, right, is overseeing the £200,000 project to create a traffic-free cycle and walking route called the Brean Way which he hopes could open in 2017.
Speaking to Burnham-On-Sea.com, he said: “The existence of a traffic free route from Brean to Weston, and one which was just five miles in length, so well within the range of even a novice cycling family, would undoubtedly be a considerable attraction for visitors to Brean and one can imagine that a Brean Cross Sluice Path would quickly become part of the normal holiday activities for Brean campers.”
“Similarly, visitors in Weston could look forward to cycling around to Brean Down to appreciate a view they have only been able to see from a distance before.”
“Apart from one small rise at Walborough, the route proposed is level and large parts of it are in place. The promenade at Weston is open to cyclists now. The beach through to Uphill has the same firm sand as at Brean. The path over Walborough has a tarmac surface and stone farm tracks of varying degrees of repair lead through to the Sluice.”
“The main works required, apart from repairs, are to create a promenade along Uphill Road North by widening the footway into the tree belt alongside the Golf Course; rendering the Sluices itself suitable for the public to use; constructing a new path on Diamond and Southfield Farm lands to avoid the very busy Weston Road; and providing a brick or similar surface to the bridleway through to the beach.”
“None of these works are cheap – the total cost will be high but we are getting backing from various partner agencies.”
“Once permissions have been agreed, and planning details approved, then this Weston and Brean Path would become a significant new initiative.”
“I think it will be among the best cycling routes in the west country and it will attract lots of extra visitors into the area.”
Coastguards currently warn people not to attempt crossing over the River Axe estuary, where deep mud makes it treacherous.
But once the new cycle path is completed, cyclists will be able to safely cross over the Axe via a sluice bridge at Diamond Farm.
The company has been awarded £2,500 by Sedgemoor District Council this month towards the cost of the new path.
The news comes just weeks after we reported on the opening of Somerset’s new Coastal Path which took place in Burnham-On-Sea, as we featured here.
