Relief route for travellers who want to avoid road traffic in favour of a greener journey

TRAVELLING between two growing settlements on the Somerset Levels has become a little bit easier after the first phase of a car-free route was completed.

- DANIEL MUMBY Local democracy journalist [e-mail]

The Curry Rivel Active Travel Group has been working for a number of years to create a new active travel route between Curry Rivel and Langport, taking pedestrians and cyclists away from fast-moving traffic on the A378.

The group has been working with the parish council, local landowners and other neighbouring parishes to secure access to the route, which will form part of a wider planned active travel network stretching across the Somerset Levels and Moors.

‘The parish council approved the purchase of a key strip of land along the main road shortly before Christ-mas 2024, with work getting under way in January following a successful bid to the government's rural England prosperity fund.

‘This first phase is now complete and open to the public, with negotiations continuing with neighbouring landowners to deliver further sections in the coming months and years.

‘The first phase comprises a short section of around 200 metres on the northern side of the A378 between North Street and Park Lane, which was cleared by volunteers in the spring of 2024 in anticipation of the route being delivered.