Options for the traffic-free Greenway route from Wellington to Taunton have been carefully considered. It was never the plan just to link Wellington and Taunton without including other communities. These are Wiveliscombe, Langford Budville, Milverton, Nynehead, Hillfarrance, Bradford on Tone, Bishops Hull and Norton Fitzwarren. Connecting these communities to the Greenway, not only connects them to Wellington and Taunton, but also to each other. There are campaigns all over Somerset with the intention of providing traffic-free routes. The Government is also committed to seeing this throughout the country. What better project could there be than the Grand Western Greenway? There are, however, still land owner and planning permissions required.

When Network Rail start building the new Wellington Station in 2026, they will almost certainly build a ‘haul-road’. This will be from Tonedale to the station site on the north side of the railway. They have agreed to leave that in place rather than remove it as they would normally. West of England Developments have a planning application before Somerset Council to build a number of homes in this location. Their Active Travel Plan involves incorporating this haul-road into the development. After the station, the Greenway would continue along the north side of the Nynehead boat lift to the Nynehead Road to connect with the existing public right of way to the East Nynehead Road.

The route would then hopefully follow the route of the defunct Grand Western canal to Tone Green. It will then continue along the north side of the railway to the Oake/Bradford on Tone Road. This is the only practical rail crossing which, whilst not perfect, could accommodate safe passage from the north to the south.

From there it would follow the railway along the south side to Allerford and on into Silk Mills. Wessex Water have given permission to incorporate the access to their pumping station at Silk Mills to get the path under the bridge. From there it would pick up the existing bridleway across Frieze Hill to Staplegrove Road.

The route to Taunton station already exists along Trenchard Way, although it would be desirable to incorporate the paths (upgraded) over Roughmoor to the hospital and College.

From the station to the centre of town, a new route is already under construction as part of the Garden town investment and will see a much-improved bridge being installed (hopefully in 2026) at the Morrisons / Brewhouse juncture.

Interesting? Raises more questions than it answers? There is to be a Public Meeting in Wellington on 24th January 2 – 4pm at the 1st Wellington Scout HQ, 6 Fore Street (behind the Co-Op). All are welcome to attend.