Local MP visits the Banwell bypass construction site
MP for Wells and Mendip Hills, Tessa Munt, joined the Leader of North Somerset Council, Mike Bell, to see construction progress on the long awaited Banwell bypass.
Works to prepare for the bypass are now well underway with trenches and excavations starting to form the road’s route.
In addition, project contractor, Galliford Try, have been undertaking drainage works to improve the ground conditions, as well as completing a new haul road that will allow construction traffic to serve the site offline, preventing significant disruption to local roads.
The Banwell bypass is a scheme that we’ve fought hard to deliver, so it’s great to visit the site and see our efforts finally coming to fruition.
Councillor Mike Bell, Leader of North Somerset Council
When it opens, not only will the bypass remove traffic from a notorious congestion pinch point in the village of Banwell, but it will create miles of new walking, cycling and horse-riding routes to better connect communities, however they choose to travel.
It’s also set to unlock much needed new housing sites that can serve our growing population and help us reach our government set housing targets.
Our local MPs have always been supportive of the scheme and I’d like to thank Tessa Munt MP for coming along to see this flagship project under construction, progressing smoothly towards its eventual opening in 2027.
It’s not long now until we start laying the tarmac, so expect to hear many more updates from us soon.
Tessa Munt MP said, “It is great to see such progress and I know that people have been waiting decades for something that would ease the situation in Banwell. Thank you to the team for such an interesting visit and a fascinating tour of the site.”
The bypass is set to deliver an impressive 40% Bio-Diversity Net Gain with protections for habitats and wildlife, notably 23ha of new and improved grassland, 12ha of new woodland and 3ha of new ponds and wetlands.
As part of these environmental protections, bat fences and boxes have been put in place where a range of local bat species can safely roost. Measures are also in place to protect badgers and dormice.
When designing the bypass, North Somerset Council considered ‘whole life carbon’, which means looking ways to cut carbon emissions during both construction and when the road is eventually open to traffic.
The Banwell bypass is mainly funded through Homes England’s Housing Infrastructure Fund with further financial contributions from North Somerset Council and the West of England Combined Authority’s Economic Development Fund.
To find out more about the scheme including the current timelines and the scheme route, visit n-somerset.gov.uk/banwellbypass
