The first public consultation on Banwell Bypass is now underway, marking important progress for the long-awaited scheme.

North Somerset Council is seeking views on the favoured bypass route and additional proposals to reduce impacts of the road for Banwell and the surrounding environment.

Funded through Homes England’s Housing Infrastructure Fund, the bypass will reduce congestion through the village of Banwell, improving air quality while also unlocking active travel opportunities to and from Weston and around the local area.

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Cllr Steve Bridger, executive member for assets and capital delivery said: “A Banwell bypass has been talked about for decades and we are working hard to make that a reality. Working with local communities, this vital next step will help us understand how we can progress a design that best serves residents and the local economy.

“While in the first instance the bypass will provide a new route for motorised traffic to avoid the pinch points within Banwell village, I am optimistic we can deliver an exemplar scheme, including green enhancements, biodiversity net gain locally and connections with the wider active travel network, which are all central to the project’s objectives.

“In offering motorists an alternative route, we want to provide residents with more choice as to how they get around on quieter local roads, whether by car, on foot or in the saddle. This choice is crucial in helping us all do our bit to meet our ambitious green target of carbon neutrality by 2030.”

The bypass will also unlock land for future development, enabling new and affordable homes to be delivered, subject to the Local Plan.

Feedback from the consultation will further inform the bypass design and any smaller-scale transport interventions to be considered on the local road network – in addition to the informal engagement taking place with impacted communities, and the findings and data from surveys and technical investigations.

Additional public consultation on the design will take place early in 2022 before submission of a planning application.

The consultation will run until August 16 and can be accessed online, together with information about the planned scheme, drop-in public engagement sessions and project timelines, at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/business/regeneration-development/housing-infrastructure-fund/banwell-bypass