Introduction
A new grant funding opportunity from the Department for Transport (DfT) to cover the capital costs of repairing or replacing local highways structures which local authorities cannot afford to restore themselves, has opened up.
The total available pot for all schemes in England is £1bn
Securing this funding is competitive, local authorities from across the country will be bidding for a portion of it.
To be eligible, the DfT states that the transport infrastructure must need urgent repair and be open again by March 2030 at the latest.
The fund is strictly to enhance the road network and repair major structures like bridges, flyovers and collapsed roads. It cannot be used to solve other coastal erosion issues in the area. Somerset Council has submitted two bids to the Structures Fund to realign the B3191 at Cleeve Hill and address embankment failures on the A371 at Ansford, with Cleeve Hill being the Council’s stated first priority scheme.
Cleeve Hill
The B3191 Cleeve Hill near Watchet was closed in January 2023 after cliff movement near the road was detected. A further geotechnical survey recommended it be kept closed to ensure the safety of the travelling public.
A later detailed report did find that it was safe for pedestrians and cyclists to use the route but it has remained closed to motor vehicles and the impact on the town and surrounding communities has been significant as there is only one route into the town over a 150-year-old bridge.
The B3191 connects the two communities of Blue Anchor in the west and Watchet to the east.
Watchet is a historic harbour town with local businesses and several tourist attractions, including the West Somerset Railway which routes through the centre of the town.
Somerset Council acknowledges the negative impacts of permanently closing the road to motor vehicles, such as community severance, rural isolation, access to essential amenities and concerns about impact on the local economy, which is why a new way of funding the redevelopment of the road is being sought urgently.
Following extensive assessment, Somerset Council has submitted a structures fund bid for this scheme which can be viewed below based on proposals 1D in the option assessment of 2019. The scheme will only progress if the structures fund bid is successful.
Ansford A371
The Council has been investigating and developing solutions to address localised embankment instability on the northern side of the A371 at Ansford Hill, where there is a history of material slipping from the embankment and being deposited onto the footway and carriageway. Resolving this issue remains a key focus for Somerset Council.
Somerset Council has already allocated funding to deliver the essential improvements required at Ansford Hill. These works include stabilisation of the northern embankment through sheet piling, improvement works to the retaining wall on the southern side of the A371, and carriageway resurfacing through a structural maintenance scheme. These elements form the core project and demonstrate the Council’s commitment to addressing the site’s most significant structural and highway maintenance challenges.
Alongside these committed works, the Council has submitted a bid to the Department for Transport’s Structures Fund to secure additional investment in the route which can be viewed below.
If successful, this funding would enable the delivery of a more comprehensive package of improvements, including enhanced structural interventions to both the northern embankment and southern retaining wall, localised carriageway and footway widening, upgraded pedestrian crossing facilities and wider active travel enhancements.
The Council believes that delivering these additional improvements as part of a single coordinated scheme would maximise value for money, improve the long-term resilience of the highway asset, enhance safety for all road users and reduce the need for future disruption. Regardless of the outcome of the Structures Fund bid, Somerset Council remains committed to delivering the core improvements required to address the known structural and maintenance issues at Ansford Hill. This approach ensures that essential works will proceed while positioning the Council to take advantage of any external funding opportunities that could further enhance the scheme and its long-term benefits.
Further programme information will be developed as the scheme progresses through design and funding approval stages. works are currently anticipated to commence in Autumn 2027, following both the peak summer tourism season and the Glastonbury Festival.