Taunton's £3.5m cycle route funding secured

The new route is due to be completed by April 2024.

Work on a new cycle route across Taunton can soon begin after funding was secured from housing developers.

Somerset West and Taunton Council hopes to build the new lane between the town's railway station and Vivary Park.

The council said on Monday that it had secured the outstanding funding, on top of grants from the government's Future High Streets fund.

While a formal start date has yet to be announced, the new route is expected to be completed by April 2024.

Delivering the new cycle lane is expected to cost the council just over £3.5m, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The largest share of this - £2,257,000 - is being provided from the Future High Streets fund.

Somerset County Council will provide up to £170,000, of which £90,000 will be spent on creating safe crossings and £80,000 will go towards providing cycle parking.

The new cycle route will pass through the Firepool Regeneration Site

While a precise map showing the planned route has not yet been published, the first stage is expected to run along the new boulevard planned for the centre of the Firepool site - plans for which are currently out for public consultation.

The council intends to begin work later this year after the appointment of a contractor, with the funding having to be spent in its entirely by April 2024.