Major new Taunton cycle route scaled back

Somerset West and Taunton Council secured £13.9M from the government’s future high streets fund to deliver its regeneration projects at Coal Orchard and Firepool in Taunton, as well as delivering new pedestrian and cycle routes throughout the town.

The council announced in June that construction would soon begin on a flagship new £3.5M cycle route which would link Taunton railway station to Vivary Park via these regeneration sites and the town centre’s main shopping street.

But a key roundabout in the town centre has now been removed from the scheme due to rising costs and the impact of bus service improvements along East Street.

Councillor Mike Rigby provided an update about the project to the full council on September 6.

He said in his written report: “The active travel element of the future high street fund grant allocation creates cycling improvement schemes that focus on delivering an enhanced cycle route between Taunton railway station, through the Firepool and Coal Orchard developments to Vivary Park with additional cycle-parking.

“Due to rising costs, as seen across the whole construction industry, coupled with the potential impact of bus service improvements along East Street and beyond, we have taken the decision to remove the Market House roundabout from scope at this time until additional funding can be secured, and the impact of parallel activity assessed.”

The council identified five specific improvements in June which will be required to complete the route to Vivary Park from Coal Orchard:

• Widening the bridge between Coal Orchard and the Morrisons supermarket, with a new ramp and steps
• A new toucan crossing on St. James Street
• New cycle lanes and different surfaces on the North Street roundabout
• A new toucan crossing on Upper High Street
• Up to 32 new cycle parking stands along the route (known as Sheffield stands)

Mr Rigby said: “Schemes currently being progressed through design stages include a new bridge over the River Tone, a cycle and pedestrian priority parallel crossing at St James Street, and a new crossing from High Street to Vivary Park.

“Cycle parking ‘hubs’ are also being implemented, with a range of both secure and sheltered cycle parking with public cycle repair stands and pumps.

“The pace of delivery remains a key consideration, with all future high street funding required to be spent by March 2024, but the programme is progressing to schedule.

“Consultation with Somerset County Council, the Royal National Institute for the Blind and local cycling groups has been undertaken, with further consultation to take place in the coming months.”

The Taunton Area Cycling Campaign (TACC) has criticised the council’s decision, with its members gathering at Market House on Saturday (September 10) to voice their displeasure.

TACC chair Pip Sheard said: “Local cyclists told us in our 2016 survey that they felt unsafe going round this roundabout. After Station Road, it was top of the Taunton list for spots where they felt most vulnerable.

“The council were granted funding but now they are backtracking and say they cannot do any improvements to it [the roundabout] for cyclists.

“Neither of the reasons we have been given – the overall cost has increased and a bus priority scheme on East Reach might affect the roundabout – in our view hold water and should prevent the council improving the junction as soon as possible.

“A cheaper and simpler scheme could go ahead at this junction which can retain some of the cobbles but providing a smooth, three-metre-wide surface in matching colour for cyclists to use.”

The council has identified 33 additional new cycle routes which could be delivered in Taunton over the coming decades, at a cost of around £150M, to provide safe routes for people to travel to school, work and leisure around the county town.

The consultation on the garden communities plan is open until September 30 and can be accessed by visiting www.tauntongardentown.commonplace.is.