Gigafactory funding could help finish Bridgwater's Celebration Mile

The Celebration Mile, once completed, will provide a safer route for pedestrians and cyclists between Bridgwater railway station on Wellington Road and the Northgate Docks.

Construction work is proceeding on the Eastover section of the route, with work on Angel Crescent due to begin in early-November and Clare Street to follow in early-2025 – funded through £9m from the Bridgwater town deal.

Once these elements have been delivered, and the docks are regenerated (using £5.2m from the same regeneration fund), it will leave only one section of the Celebration Mile left to implement – the section along the A372 St John’s Street, between the railway station and the A38 Broadway.

St John's Street, which runs between the A38 and railway station. (Image: Daniel Mumby)

Town councillor Mick Lerry has now suggested that this final section could be delivered as part of the wider benefits from the new Agratas ‘gigafactory’ being delivered at the Gravity enterprise zone just outside the town.

Mr Lerry, the council’s economy portfolio holder, said: “The Celebration Mile was initially seen as an investment project for when capital funding became available, whether through private investment or government development funding.

“If you have the project up and running, then capital funding could follow – and it did, such as the mitigation funding from the development of Hinkley Point C and the government’s town deal capital funding.

“St John’s Street is the final section of the Celebration Mile, and development at the Gravity site for the Agratas gigafactory could be a possible funding stream to complete it.”

St John’s Street handles significant traffic on a daily basis, not only from rail passengers but those commuting into Bridgwater town centre from the housing estates between the railway line and the M5, along with the neighbouring villages on the Somerset Levels.

Pedestrians currently have to contend with narrow pavements, and there is limited cycling provision beyond some limited on-road lanes before the junction with the A38 (which was upgraded in mid-2023 at a cost of £1.7m).

The Celebration Mile will provide a safe route for cyclists and pedestrians between the railway station and Northgate Docks. (Image: Macgregor Smith Landscape Architects)

Mr Lerry said: “The main challenge with St John’s Street is congestion and a street that is difficult to widen or turn into a pedestrian area.

“Initially the design that went out to public consultation looked at lay-bys, tree planting, lighting and street furniture to improve the public realm of the area, which was no longer seen as part of the town centre.

“Many of the retail shops have now returned to residents’ accommodation.

“The improvement to active travel could make St John’s Street safer for residents, pedestrians and cyclists.”

Mr Lerry said the town council had no immediate plans to improve the existing infrastructure on St John’s Street, but it would pursue opportunities to do this as funding became available.

He said: “In the short term there are no major plans to consider any minor improvements, until the funding becomes available for the project.

“If grants do become available, we  will seek funding or support from Somerset Council, who are responsible for highways, to look at future options to develop the original modelling of design of the project.

“There will also be a need for further consultation with the residents and businesses in St John’s Street as well.”