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. 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 Christmas 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.
The section is wide enough to allow pedestrians and cyclists to pass in either direction, with the hedge near the main road being retained and a fence being erected to protect the neighbouring land. The path has been constructed using locally sourced materials, using similar methods to those practised on the Strawberry Line or as part of the Glastonbury town deal - an approach which costs a fraction of delivering on-road Tarmac cycle lane or widened kerbs (such as along the A39 in Minehead).
From this short section, pedestrians and cyclists can cross the A378 and move down Park Lane, which turns into Frog Lane as it crossed into the neighbouring parish of Huish Episcopi. In light of the stony road surface (which is regularly used by farm vehicles), the Curry Rivel Active Travel Group is exploring the prospect of creating a new section of permissive path in the neighbouring fields, providing a smoother surface and fencing it off to protect the remaining farmland.
The South Somerset Bridleway Association has been attempting to secure the section on Park Lane and Frog Lane as a registered bridleway (which could be used by pedestrians and cyclists) since 2010. An order to add this route to Somerset Council's definitive rights of way map was made in 2023 following a public inquiry - but the matter has now been taken to an appeal, with local MP Sarah Dyke seeking to speed up a decision by the Planning Inspectorate.
From the bottom of Frog Lane, the path runs onto Huish Drove and picks up the Parrett Cycleway - part of the National Cycling Network route 339 which runs from the eastern edge of Bridgwater to Langport via Burrowbridge. Following the Parrett Cycleway brings visitors out into the Westover Trading Estate and over a small bridge onto Cocklemoor, providing access to Langport town centre and the River Parrett Trail.
Former parish councillor Tony Greenaway, who had been heavily involved in the project, said that he was optimistic that further sections of the path could be delivered in the coming years - and that other active travel links would follow through co-operation with other local parishes.
Speaking in late-January, he said: "Mr Greenaway said: "We are pleased to report that discussions between Curry Rivel, Drayton, Langport and Huish Episcopi councils have been fruitful. We are exploring suitable routes connecting Curry Rivel with key local destinations such as the school, the leisure centre, and local shops and businesses.
"This collaboration highlights the commitment of local councils to support infrastructure improvements that benefit the entire community. Together, we can create a safer, more connected community for everyone."
Further fundraising will be needed to deliver further sections of the Curry Rivel route, with the group also seeking volunteers who can help with work on the ground or promoting the project on social media.
To make a donation to the project, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/curryrivel-activetravel?utm_term=K4wVEQajD.
To get involved in the project as a volunteer, email tgreenaway51@gmail.com or search for 'Curry Rivel Active Travel Group' on Facebook.
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