Meeting the communities of Wellington and Taunton

Andy and Richard hard at it in Taunton

Over the past couple of weeks, our team has been actively engaging with the communities of Wellington and Taunton to discuss r the Grand Western greenway. These community events have beenf inspiring, as we interacted with a diverse group of people interested about sustainable transportation and active travel.

Connecting with Supporters

Our main objective during these events was to connect with supporters of the Grand Western Greenway while also reaching out to those interested in becoming part of this project. We are pleased to say that we have successfully signed up almost 50 new supporters, paving the way for a more inclusive and engaged community.

Embracing Sustainable Travel

The heart of our discussions revolved around the concept of sustainable and active travel through the picturesque countryside away from pollution and noise of travelling on the road. The Grand Western greenway aims to provide a safe and traffic-free route for cyclists, walkers, and even wheelchair users to explore the natural beauty ofthe area n while promoting physical and mental well-being.

Engaging with the Community

The events in Wellington and Taunton provided a platform for interesting conversations and creating useful connections. We had the opportunity to collaborate with various organizations and individuals who share our passion for promoting accessibility and health through outdoor activities. The enthusiasm and support we received were encouraging and solidify our belief in the importance of community engagement.

Walk the Greenway (XIV)

7 December 2024, 09:30–14:00|Pritex (rear entrance)

Register Now

Looking Towards the Future

As we reflect on these events, we are keen to continue making the Grand Western greenway a reality. The feedback from the communities of Wellington and Taunton have been invaluable, shaping our approach and igniting a collective drive to create a more connected and sustainable future for all.

We are grateful for the warm reception we received and are excited to embark on this journey towards sustainable travel through the countryside, where every step or pedal push brings us closer to more connected communities.

Thank you for your support of the Grand Western greenway.

Stay tuned for more updates and initiatives as we devlop our organisation into a Community Interest Company (CIC), and how you can become involved in shaping our future

Walkers along the Strawberry Line from Wells to Dulcote

Gideon Amos MP (Taunton and Wellington) dropped by...

Gideon Amos dropped by when we were doing our fist promotional stall in Taunton this week with news about Wellington Station. It is by no means a done-deal, and so much of the Greenway is dependent on it being built.

Phew, that was close!

This week we faced the very real possibility that Wellington Railway Station would get swept away as the Restoring Your Railways programme was cancelled in the Chancellor's statement on Tuesday.

This would have posed a serious threat to the Greenway as one of the key motivators for public funding is the need to connect communities to the station by means other than driving there.

Our first phase build was dependent on taking over the haul road that Network Rail will build on the north side of the ine, and which would normally be removed. However, they are pleased to leave it on place, saving them the cost of removal and allowing us to upfade it to an acceptble standard.

So, big kudos to our newly elected MP, Gideon Amos, for persevering right to the very end of the debate on Tuesday to get an assurance from the Chancellor that projects which had already started would not be cancelled. It remains to be seen whether stage 4 GRIP funding (there are 8 stages, and stage 6 is construction - read more here) is considered to be 'started', but all the signs are pointing to that being so.

Project Work Book Funding

One of the vital pieces of work we have to get going is a rigorous review of both route options and engineering solutions along those routes. This takes the form of a detailed project work book prepared by our partner organisation Greenways and Cycleroutes. For those of you who regularly read these posts, you will have seen mention of the legendary John Grimshaw. he heads up Greenways and Cycleroutes, but prior to that he founded sustrans and was at its head for 30 years. John is a Civil engineer who is currently building the Strawberry Line and many other projects around the country.

Funding for this type of work is not easy to find, but Somerset Council was awarded £400,000 by Active travel England to finance the the 'scoping' work for schemes that have not yet started. We applied for a very small portion of this fund but were turned down 'because it was not an on-road project'.

When you consider that a path that goes through the countryside costs about 1/6th of building on or adjacent to the highway, it does bring into question why Somerset Council would persist on a path alongside the A38 which they acknowledge will never get built.

We appreciate theyre are many competing priorotoes around the county, but when a community led organisation os offering to build (we're not asking the council to build it) a multi-user path between the County town and its nearest large satellite, you would think this one would be a very attractive proposition. But no, it's not. Maybe we need you to make your voices heard.

Street Stall

Finally, we have a street stall planned for this Saturday (3rd August 2024) in Taunton Town Centre. Come along and say hello - we'll be very pleased to see you!