Author: Charles Biscoe

  • Standing room only at Public Meeting

    Standing room only at Public Meeting

    On 24th January 2025, the Grand Western Greenway campaign held its first public meeting in the Scout HQ in the centre of Wellington.

    Invitations were sent to all our supporters, and these were supported by a social media and physical poster campaigns across Taunton, Wellington and the surrounding communities.

    The purpose of the meeting was to present information about the various proposals, and to bring together a panel of experts, politicians and business owners.

    The meeting was opened by the MP for Wellington and Taunton, Gideon Amos who, despite being unwell, made the opening remarks.

    He welcomed the audience who by this time had occupied all the chairs leaving standing room only, and commented on their tenacity at turning out on the wettest, windiest day of the year so far. He spoke of his job as being to support the Greenway in any way he could and recounted his experience of speaking with town and county councillors in Taunton and Wellington to reinforce that message.

    The chairman and founder of the Grand Western Greenway campaign, Charles Biscoe, gave a presentation about various route options and spoke of the need to maintain an open mind as much of these aspirations depend on the all-important negotiations with landowners along the way.

    Chaired by Wellington Town Councillor Keith Wheatley, the panel of experts came together to firstly speak of their specialist areas of expertise, and included:

    • John Grimshaw CBE, the founder and former Chief Executive of Sustrans over 40 years ago. He was responsible for building the heavily-used Bristol Bath Path and for, as part of the millennium projects, for designing and implementing the National Cycle Network with which we are all familiar to this day. John now runs Greenways and Cycleroutes Ltd that builds and advises on Greenways all over the country including the Strawberry Line in Somerset.
    • Charles Biscoe, founder and chairman of the Grand Western Greenway CIC
    • Tracey Mock, Manager of On Your Bile in Taunton and Bridgwater, a successful charity repurposing unwanted bicycles for sale as well as training new bicycle mechanics from diverse backgrounds. She spoke of the business and accisibility issues the Greenway opened up for theorganisation.
    • Cllr Dave Mansell, Green Party member for Upper Tone that includes Wiveliscombe and the communities to the north of Wellington.
    • Cllr Nick O’Donnel, Somerset and Taunton Town councillor representing Taunton Town Council.

    They answered questions from the floor that ranged from how the path would be constructed, how it would be paid for, when would it be complete, can horses use it, the impact of the Wellington railway Station and many other queries about the route and its proximity to Musgrove Park Hospital and Taunton College.

    John Grimshaw was able to speak about the challenges of creating a path with a sealed and non-sealed surface most of which were financial and dependent on the way in which landowners perceived one to be more or less attractive than the other.

    Eventually, after over an hour and a half, the meeting was drawn to a close with participants mingling together and carrying on what will almost certainly prove to be a long and fruitful discussion washed down with copious amounts of tea and biscuits.

  • The Greenway (proposed) Route

    The Greenway (proposed) Route

    In a perfect world, we could draw a line on a map and, after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, build a beautiful path through the countryside to be enjoyed by all as they walk wheel and cycle between Wellington and Taunton.

    Of course, this is a far from perfect world and without that line on the map there is no starting point and nothing to which we and hundreds of others can aspire.

    In this post I want to talk about a route through the Tone Valley from Tonedale in Wellington to Taunton Station. In conjunction with Greenways and Cycleroutes Ltd and the renowned path builder John Grimshaw CBE, we have studied an outline route with some options.

    Our goal has always to do more than build a linear route between Wellington and Taunton. We want to connect several communities along the way and have mapped out possible routes to bring Wiveliscombe, Langford Budville, Milverton, Nynehead, Hillfarrance, Oake, Bradford on Tone, Bishops Hull and Norton Fitzwarren on to the main route through a series of ‘behind-the-hedge’ paths and quiet lanes. By connecting the Greenway to these communities, it will small communities to each other and to Wellington and Taunton in turn.

    Map showing connections from rural communities to the Greenway. The inset shows some of the route options to Musgrove Par Hospitaland Taunton College across Roughmoor.

    I can imagine a few sharp intakes of breath at the scope of the project, but we have to remember that one third of all journeys are done by active means and that these paths could improve the lives of a population in excess of 100,000 (Taunton Local Community Network – 74,000. Wellington and Wiveliscombe Local Community Network – 27,000 (Somerset Council))

    Many people want to create active travel routes. In Somerset there are campaigns everywhere, all with laudable goals to offer a traffic-free piece of infrastructure to serve the walker, wheeler, and cyclist. The Government is more committed to seeing this happen in England with the publication of a draft Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy. Although by no means perfect, it refers to the potential success of projects that are “coherent, connected, consistent and accessible to all” and should link to key destinations such as rail and bus stations, hospitals, and schools.

    It is hard to imagine a project that better fits this description than the Grand Western Greenway. If you want to see an interactive map of the route pictured above, see our website (below)

    Route

    Let us have a quick walk-though starting in Wellington. Bear in mind, this is entirely dependent on landowner permissions and planning permissions!

    Tonedale (phase 1)

    When Network build the Wellington Station starting in 2026, they will almost certainly build a ‘haul-road’ 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 planning application before Somerset Council to build a number of homes in this location, and their Active Travel Plan (every application has one) involves incorporating this haul-road into it. After the station, we 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.

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

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

    The route to the 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? Then why not join us at a Public Meeting in Wellington on 24th January 2 – 4pm. It will be in the 1st Wellington Scout HQ, 6 Fore Street (behind the Co-Op)

  • Greenway Update

    Greenway Update

    Railway Station

    We can’t even begin to express our joy at the announcement that Wellington will have its railway station reinstated!

    For us it means the developments around it will almost certainly go ahead on both sides of the line, and this means the haul road the Network Rail will build will become incorporated into the active travel plan from the station to Tonedale.

    By coincidence, this also happens to be the first 500m of the Greenway, and will provide links to the Toneworks development as well as the natural joining spot for a proposed path from Langford Budv ille to Wellington.

    Are you a landowner?

    If so, if your land is along the river valley from Wellington to Taunton, we would love to hear from you. We don’t really know the route of the proposed Greenway, but we have many thoughts and ideas which will doubtless mature as we discuss these with you. Four significant landowners have already indicated their wish to accommodate this project, but we need to talk to everyone, and to get those talks going very soon.

    Walk the Greenway

    The next (and probably last for 2025) walk along the Greenway is planned for 16th August.

    Linking Communities

    The Greenway has never been solely about getting from Wellington to Taunton. Our plan has always included linking many smaller communities in the area either along separate paths or by making use of Quiet Lanes. Have a look at the recently added interactive map on our website to see some of the suggestions being discussed in local government and beyond.

  • Biggest employer in Somerset supports the Grand Western Greenway

    Biggest employer in Somerset supports the Grand Western Greenway

    The Chief Executive and Chief Nurse of Somerset NHS Trust have pledged their support for the Greenway.

    Somerset NHS Foundation trust employs more people in Somerset than anyone else. In this video, Hayley Peters and Peter Lewis discuss the benefits for the organisation,for their colleagues employed across multiple sites in Taunton and Wellington including Musgrove Park Hospital, and for their patients.

    In this video they speak with Charles Biscoe, the lead director of the Greenway project, about these benefits. Charles later discusses the next few stages of the monumental task ahead of us.

    Chief Nurse and Chief Executive of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust discuss the Greenway

    Walk the Greenway

    We had a walk planned for May, but this is now moved on into June. The next conducted walk from Wellingon to Taunton will be on 21st June, and is well worth coming along for. It gives a real look at the attractions of having an Active Travel Route through the countryside as opposed to one alongside the A38. 

    It doesn’t follow the exact route as we have to follow public rights of way, and because we are not entirely sure of exactly what the route will be. There are many negotiations and studies to be done before that time. Charles will lead the walk, and will talk a lot about the local history of the area including the growth and decline of the Grand Western Canal, from whom we borrowed part of our name.

  • Spring Greenway update

    Spring Greenway update

    Wellington Station

    I’ve made a few mentions about the station and its precarious journey to being built over the last year or so, but it is worth mentioning again. Although it would indeed be a bonus to add this to the public transport mix for Wellington, it is not vital for the Greenway. Yes, it would mean a haul-road would be built which we would adopt but, as I mentioned before, the proposal to build housing on the north side of the line would have to include an active travel plan. The developers are supporters of the Greenway, and their plans indicate they would either upgrade the haul-road or build their own path from Tonedale to the Nynehead Road.

    Nevertheless, the Department for Transport has not shut down the Wellington Station negotiation. The Chancellor specifically singled out developments around transport hubs to boost growth, and there is no better example of this than Wellington. Gideon Amos MP has met the railway minister Lord Hendy several times, and is due to so again this week. This time he is taking a coachload of his constituents, and I’ll be there pushing the case for active travel.

    Somerset NHS Foundation Trust supports the Greenway

    The Trust that delivers all acute secondary and some primary care across Somerset is the largest emplyer in the county. Their Chief Nurse and Chief Executive agreed to an interview in which they discussed their support of the Greenway and the benefit it will bring to their patients and colleagues. The video is still being edited, but you can have a sneak peek here

    Route and Engineering Assessment 

    Again, I’ve written about the work being done by Greenways and Cycle-Routes Ltd. Their principle, John Grimshaw (founder and former CEO of Sustrans) will report over the next month or two, and we are hoping to discuss this and other issues at public meetings over the summer in Taunton and Wellington. Are you interested in this?

    Somerset Council Active Travel Team

    It appears that, after a number of people moved away from the AT Team last year, recruitment has seen the appointment of three new officers. They are clearly very busy because, despite a number of attempts by us and councillors, we have yet to make contact with them. Let’s hope that is just a temporary hiatus as they settle into post, and that we can get talking very soon.

    Public Talks and Presentations

    we are pleased to report we have now spoken to every Rotary Club (I think) in Wellington and Taunton. They have been kind enough to show great interest in the project and have demonstrated their support. Wellington WI have done the same, and we are always very happy to come and spread the word if you have groups that would be interested.

    Throughout the summer we hope to get to more public events such as street fairs markets. We are negotiating with some of the larger employers such as Musgrove Park Hospital and the Hydrographic Office to operate a display in their public spaces. If you would like to help out with any of those, we would be very happy to see you!

    That’s it for this week, but let me have your questions and comments which I will do my best to answer.

  • The Latest Developments in Our Greenways and Cycleroutes Project: An Update on Progress and Future Plans

    The Latest Developments in Our Greenways and Cycleroutes Project: An Update on Progress and Future Plans

    Many of you will know of the work commissioned by Grand Western Greenway in collaboration with Greenways and Cycleroutes Ltd is that is an important step towards exploring route options and assessing engineering challenges. This report will guide us as we move forward in negotiations and implement practical solutions.

    The completion of this report will clarify which stakeholders need to be consulted for access permissions across various lands. Additionally, it helps us address practical issues like flooding, road and river crossings, and planning for future maintenance.

    A heartfelt thank you goes to both the Wellington and Taunton Town Councils for their generous funding. Their support is crucial in helping us make significant advancements.

    Current Progress on Route Planning

    We are pleased to share that we have secured permission to begin the planning phase for paths at both ends of the project. This includes a proposed route from Taunton to Silk Mills and one from Wellington to Nynehead Road. These developments are a major step toward making the Greenway a reality.

    In discussions with a developer currently at the pre-planning application stage, we’ve found promising cooperation. The developer plans to build new homes on the north side of the railway line in Wellington, stretching from the station site to Tonedale. They have included the Greenway in their development plans, regardless of Network Rail’s plans for a halul-road in that area.

    Outline plan for a development north of the railway line

    The proposed Greenway is shown on the map with a blue dotted line. Existing footpaths are marked in yellow, while the thick orange line represents the Bristol Exeter railway line. On the western side, you’ll find Tonedale, with Nynehead Road to the east. 

    In addition, Langford Budville Parish Council has an initiative to create a path connecting their community to Tonedale. A vital part of the developer’s proposal includes integrating a pathway from the Sewage Treatment Plant access road into the housing site. This will provide users direct access to the Greenway, the railway station, and the town, eliminating the need to navigate the busy B3187. This creates a safer environment for pedestrians.

    Community Engagement and Membership Drive

    Connecting with the community and increasing membership support is a priority we take seriously. Our approach includes participating in various events and discussions throughout the year.

    In just this past year, we have visited almost all the Rotary Clubs in both Wellington and Taunton. These visits are an opportunity to raise awareness about the Greenways and Cycleroutes project and discuss its community benefits.

    Through these engagements, we share insights on the planned pathways, showcasing how they can improve local connectivity and promote cycling and walking in the area. Engaging the community inspires more residents to contribute to our mission.

    Overcoming Engineering Challenges

    The ongoing report from Greenways and Cycleroutes Ltd focuses on identifying practical engineering challenges. Recognizing these hurdles early will allow us to devise effective strategies.

    For instance, we aim to address potential flooding areas and plan safe roadway crossings for everyone. We are also assessing the logistics surrounding river crossings. By tackling these factors early on, we can create a well-constructed and sustainable route that benefits the community for years.

    Railway bridge over the River Tone

    Understanding these challenges will also aid our discussions with landowners and stakeholders. By being prepared, we can offer solutions that align with their interests while advancing our Greenways goals.

    Walk the Greenway

    If you haven’t already done so (or maybe you have and want to do it again) we will be Walking the Greenway on Saturday, 15th March. It will get as close as we can on public footpaths, but gives a pretty good idea of exactly why we work so hard to achieve this route as an accessible route for all. 

    The walk is about 8.5 miles from Wellington to Taunton leaving at 09:30 and arriving between 1:30pm and 2:00pm. The return trip is by bus unless you make other arrangements.

  • Grand Western Greenway becomes a Community Interest Company

    Grand Western Greenway becomes a Community Interest Company

    We are pleased to let you know that the Grand Western Greenway has become a Community Interest Company (CIC)! This is a significant milestone for us, and we couldn’t have achieved it without your support and dedication.

    As a CIC, our mission remains steadfast: to create an active travel route through the countryside from Wellington to Taunton. This new status allows us to operate with greater flexibility and ensures that all our efforts are directed towards community benefit.

    Join Us as a Member

    We are pleased to invite you to become a member of the CIC. By joining, you will have the opportunity to actively participate in our decision-making process with voting rights. Your voice will help shape the future of the Grand Western Greenway.

    Membership Details:

    • Annual Subscription: £5 per year
    • Benefits: Membership of a CIC is akin to becoming a shareholder of a limited company. You will have the right to attend and have voting rights at the AGM.

    Your membership will not only support our ongoing projects but also empower you to have a say in how we grow and develop. Together, we can make a lasting impact.

    How to Join:

    Joining is simple! Visit our website here and follow the membership link. We look forward to welcoming you as a valued member of our community.

    Grant funding awarded for engineering assessment

    We are very lucky to have the support of the Wellington and Taunton Town Councils. Both of them give us enthusiastic support, and they have recently translated that into financial support for us to begin assessing the engineering and logistical challenges of building this route through the countryside.

    As we get a clearer understanding of what these are, we will be able to have a clearer indication of the best route for us to negotiate with local landowners. The study is being undertaken by Greenways and Cycleroutes led by the eminent John Grimshaw. John is the Civil Engineer who founded and led Sustrans for 30 years, and who is busy building the Strawberry Line and consulting on many others.

    John Grimshaw CBE at work on the Strawberry Line in Somerset

    Wellington and taunton Councils have jointly funded the study by each making a grant of £4000 for which we are very grateful!

  • Meeting the communities of Wellington and Taunton

    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.

    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 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!

    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!