SEDGEMOOR District Council this week approved its long term Transport Investment Strategy after two years of consultation.

The aim of the document, created by consultants ‘Steer’ and assisted in-house by SDC officers was to provide a strategy for transport in the district through to 2050 and review what would be needed to respond to growth targets and infrastructure projects in that period.

The key schemes and developments outlined in the scheme include Hinkley C, Gravity (the planned clean growth enterprise zone near Puriton), the £83m Housing Infrastructure Fund, Bristol Airport expansion and the North Somerset Banwell Bypass.

However the Labour group say that in the wake of impending climate change and the drastic need to change the way society consumes resources, 'business as usual' will not work.

At the Full Council meeting on Wednesday, July 31, Labour group leader Cllr Brian Smedley said: "We welcome this strategy and the work put into it by Sedgemoor officers but stress that our view is that it must be seen as an ongoing working document which needs to be flexible and open to new ideas and further input particularly in response to the rapidly developing climate change emergency."

He said there needs to be more emphasis on encouraging electric vehicles by incentivising developers to put in charging points, and questioned whether it was wise to encourage the expansion of Bristol Airport given the scrutiny being given to the environmental damage of air travel.

" None of the climate change related factors will be addressed by digging up further swathes of North Somerset and having more aviation fuel in our atmosphere," Cllr Smedley added.

One of the key long-term aspirations is for a 'Bridgwater Northern Outer Distributor Road is listed as an opportunity in the Transport Investment Strategy.

Councillors voted in favour of funding further expert consultants to look into more detail of the long term strategy and the viability of the proposals.

"This Distributor Road proposal is a little late as Hinkley C will have gone past its peak soon," Cllr Smedley said.

"The scandal of having Europe's biggest infrastructure project on our doorsteps with inadequate road access provision is part of the legacy of this costly development.

"We all wanted a bypass and they should have provided one."

Sedgemoor District Council say the Transport Investment Strategy will help reduce congestion and address other pinch points to 'improve productivity and enable growth'.

A spokesman for Sedgemoor District Council said; "The Sedgemoor 2050 Transport Investment Strategy looks at potential schemes from 2032 right up until 2050.

"Infrastructure investment has extremely long lead-in times with major schemes taking 10 years or more to be planned, funded and then delivered. 

"The Strategy is a long term document and these options within it are only part of a long-list of possible proposals from 2032 onwards. 

"There are currently no plans nor funding in place to support any of these schemes, but the strategy is intended to attract funding. 

"Much will also depend upon future growth options for the district and the proportion of new homes and employment that might be located across Sedgemoor post 2032.

"While  Sedgemoor is not  the authority who plans new roads, rail and public transport links, (this is the remit of Somerset County Council) Sedgemoor is being proactive in looking so far ahead by identifying transport needs that could support any future employment and housing development in the district which will allow people to get to work and businesses to thrive. 

"This is essential to secure inward investment and growth in the longer term.  

"Now that the Strategy has been adopted by Sedgemoor District Council, it will be sent to Somerset County Council with a recommendation that they adopt it as their strategy for the Sedgemoor area of Somerset."