On Wednesday 15th July the Coffin Lane Campaign delivered a petition containing almost 500 signatures to the full meeting of Somerset County Council. It was presented to Christine Lawrence, Chair of SCC. For 53 years Compton Bishop Parish Council has been pressing for the safety issues around pedestrian access to Axbridge to be addressed, and the Cheddar Area Local Plan (1992) identified pedestrian safety as being in need of upgrading. SCC then budgeted for improvements to pedestrian facilities at Cross Lane and included these in the Local Transport Plan. Indeed, at one point contractors had actually turned up to start work when the job was cancelled. Since then there has been no progress regarding this dangerous blackspot, at which the volume of traffic has increased enormously over the years. Campaign coordinator Tess Gill and Treasurer Richard Parker were each given two minutes to address the Council.

Richard Parker gave a brief history of the ongoing issue while Tess Gill outlined the campaign group’s proposed solutions. David Fothergill, the Cabinet Member for Highways responded to say that he saw merit in the proposal for a safe footpath and cycle way between Cross and Axbridge. He suggested the campaign group commissions and pays for a feasibility study, costing £2,500, for a crossing of the A38. This might be eligible for funding under the Small Infrastructure Scheme. Councillor John Denbee was present and spoke strongly in support of the proposals, requesting an urgent meeting with Mr Fothergill to ensure progress. He asked, “Would the Portfolio Holder instruct officers to implement plans and instruct contractors to construct refuges at Rooksbridge and Cross bearing in mind that local finance has already been arranged?”

Afterwards Tess Gill said, “We are grateful for the opportunity to address the Council about this important safety issue. In 2015 it is extraordinary that, when there is so much energy put into getting people to walk and cycle to improve their health and reduce vehicle use, here in this corner of Somerset we have a situation where people are forced to endanger themselves when trying to do just that.”

Richard Parker and Tess Gill present the petition to Christine Lawrence, Chair of Somerset County Council

Mike Rolfe, Richard Parker, Noellvie Watson, Eddie Farley and Tess Gill on the steps of the Town Hall wearing their Coffin Lane sashes