A CYCLE lane in a village near Bridgwater has received a much-needed extension to improve the safety of the path for cyclists.

People can now safely travel from Bridgwater to Chedzoy or Stawell by bike thanks to a new section of cycle path that links Chedzoy Lane to the existing cycle lane on the A39 Bath Road motorway bridge.   

Chedzoy resident Carole Edmunds proposed the extension, perceiving the previous arrangement requiring cyclists to join fast moving traffic at a T junction as dangerous.

The former design forced cyclists to join fast moving traffic, after having to stop on the steep slope before the apex of the incline.

Sadly, on April 7, 2021, a cyclist was killed by a speeding car at the site.

From now on, all users of the path will be entirely separated from vehicular traffic at the junction, thanks to a short additional shared walking and cycling space and dropped curb.

Bridgwater East & Bawdrip Councillors Diogo Rodrigues and Andy Dingwall supported the proposal and helped to ensure Somerset Council’s Infrastructure Programmes Group prioritised resources in a timely manner to deliver the construction with minimum disruption to the road network.