Long-awaited route bill millions more than planned

A long-awaited bypass is set to cost almost millions more than originally planned, after councillors approved another £14m of spending.

Building a bypass around the congested village of Banwell in North Somerset was first proposed in 1927.

The project, finally approved in 2023, was originally set to cost £66m entirely funded by the government body Homes England. But, after major delays, including the original contractor pulling out last year, the cost has soared to £105.14m.

North Somerset Council says the scheme is now fully funded and can move towards construction after securing extra government cash.

Homes England has put up another £9.7m and North Somerset Council will vote on 1 April on whether to approve another £4.8m of council capital funding.

The council has insisted this is the final decision needed before the main construction works can begin.

Banwell has been plagued by uniquely terrible traffic since at least the mid-18th Century, and now two A-roads funnel traffic into the village, which at one point has to go down a single track lane.

Leader of North Somerset Council Mike Bell says Homes England has "provided the funding boost we need to continue the work already under way to build the bypass".

"Not only does the scheme form an important part of our ambition to deliver £450m of capital investment into local infrastructure, but it also supports further economic growth for our area and helps us to deliver on our local plan ambitions," he added.

Bell said as well as reducing congestion in the village, the bypass would improve links between Weston-super-Mare and the A38, "whilst also providing walking, cycling and horse-riding routes to help promote sustainable travel".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the council has only recently passed major cuts to balance its revenue budget for the next year but capital spending, such as for the bypass, comes from a separate budget that cannot be used for day-to–day spending.

Bell added: "This bypass has been almost a century in the making and, together, we have overcome twists, turns and other bumps in the road, pulling out all the stops as we arrive ever closer to making the scheme a reality."

It is hoped the bypass will open in early 2027.

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