A SOMERSET MP has asked the newly-appointed transport secretary to urgently provide funding to reopen a crucial coast road in her constituency.

The B3191 Cleeve Hill, which links Watchet to the neighbouring village of Blue Anchor, has been closed to motor vehicles since January 2023 due to fears of coastal erosion.

The road reopened to pedestrians and cyclists shortly before Easter this year, but Somerset Council confirmed that it could not viably reopen the road to cars, motorcycles and lorries. 

Tiverton and Minehead MP Rachel Gilmour has now urged the new transport secretary, Heidi Alexander MP, to provide funding to realign the road inland, reconnecting these communities and ending the long-term hit to Watchet’s businesses.

Ms Gilmour made her plea via a written question, asking whether Alexander would “allocate funding to rebuild the B3191 between Watchet and Blue Anchor” while making reference to funding commitments within the budget announced October 30.

The budget included a promise to invest an extra £500m in the 2025/26 financial year on “local roads maintenance”, on top of £1.6m to “maintain and renew the nation’s roads."

Ms Gilmour said: “This road is a crucial link in west Somerset, and I hope that the government will be able to see the benefits that a rebuild would bring to the area.

Up to £60m project

The council estimated in March 2023 that it would cost between £30m and £60m to realign the Cleeve Hill section of the road inland.

The Blue Anchor end of the B3191 has been protected from additional coastal erosion through a £3.5m coastal defence scheme, with granite rock armour being installed below the Anchor’s Drop pub between May and November 2023.

The Environment Agency’s Wessex flood and coastal committee previously committed £1.5m towards coastal defence works in the Watchet area – funding which remains available.

A government response is expected to be provided before Christmas.