Five Arches Greenway Opening
On Saturday the 24th September the Five Arches Greenway was offically opened. Michael Eavis who is one of the figures on the Portrait bench recalled his time as a miner in Stratton-on-the-Fosse. The path was then offically opened by the Vice-chair of Bath & North-East Somerset Coucil Rob Appleyard. Lots of cyclists from two rides (one started in Bath and one in Nailsea) come to the opening as well as numerous local people. Wheels for All were there to show off their latest cycles that can be used by people with disabilities and attracted a lot of interest. Afterwards Michael Eavis cycled down the path to see the great work that has been done!
We now need to get out there and get folk to use it! Thank you all for the tremendous support! And apologies to the car drivers in Silver Street for the delays they had to endure to get the path built!
The two other figures on the portrait bench were Katy Curd, a young downhill and 4X champion cyclist who has helped the local kids to use the BMX tracks and Jeff Ackers who is the model for the 'train driver' to symbolize the links with the past steam trains on the Somerset and Dorset Railway. Jeff was a driver on the line and is now a volunteer with the Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust.
Somerset Guardian Article 14/4
Please note that the article in the Somerset Guardian on 14th April 2011 is factually incorrect. It suggests that the path will be shortened and that children will have to travel the last part on the road to get to the school.
Although part of the path that is on the railway is being shortened the part along the verge of Silver Street is still being continued into Charlton Road and finishes by the new pedestrian crossing opposite Norton Hill School. Once the path comes off the old railway it still continues seperate from the road around the corner and up to the school. Without this part the scheme would have been unsafe and would not have been started in the first place. Please click here to see details of the scheme at Norton Hill.
It's happening!
Work is steadily progressing. The section from Somervale Road to almost the Pit Path has been surfaced. The gabions at the Pit path are complete, the surfacing is yet to be done. The work at Silver street is progressing at a steady pace. Care is being taken with the gabions as not to cause any slipping of the surrounding area. (See below)
Nominations for the portrait bench are called for...
Residents in the Norton Radstock area are being given the chance to choose which local people to immortalise in steel on the new 5 Arches walking and cycling route.
Sustainable transport charity Sustrans is adding a portrait benche to the new Five Arches route. The benche offer cyclists and walkers a chance to rest as they make their way along the route, while reflecting on the local landscape. The benches will immortalise three local people in steel, and will act as a permanent reminder of the creation of the path, and the work undertaken by sustainable transport charity Sustrans and the BIG Lottery fund.
Sustrans is one of the largest commissioners of public art in the UK, installing art works from sculpture to poetry on walking and cycling routes across the UK.
Rupert Crosbee, Area Manager for Sustrans, commented, “The Portrait Bench is a great way to make this new route really belong to Radstock. Perhaps weary commuters or schoolchildren could take a breather alongside a famous face, a well known local resident or a figure from the past. We can’t wait to see who the people of Norton Radstock come up with.”
Please use our contact form to let us know your nomination, once enough nominations have been received we will conduct a poll on this website todecide the final three.
Work has already commenced with the clearance of the old Somerset and Dorset Railway path between Somervale Road and Norton Hill. See our gallery for some before and after pictures.
The hills around Radstock pose a barrier to walking and cycling. This proposal aims to complete a route along the high level disused railway that used to connect the two towns. Links from the railway path will connect communities to work and leisure facilities – including the creation of a new town park along the route. The key to the success of this project will be the crossing of the A362 Radstock/Somervale Road.
The project came into being as a results of a call by Sustrans’ Connect2, one of six visionary community projects shortlisted to go through to the second stage of the competition as the Big Lottery Fund's groundbreaking Living Landmarks. It aims to develop bridges and other links over obstacles such as rivers, roads and railways, allowing one area to link to another and an onward network of existing shared use paths.
Please do support us on the Sustrans Connect website, here are some of the support comments received:
“Midsomer Norton and Radstock desperately need more recreational space for both cycling and walking - I fully support this proposal and would use the path regularly. The towns could also do with some more open space so a park is an excellent idea.”
“Would provide an excellent link between the two towns. Already use the cycle track in place everyday to commute to work !”
“This would be a great link. The traffic is really busy round here and the roads narrow. The railway line that this would link is pretty intact and will allow easy and safe access to schools and local amenities.”
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"We have some wonderful countryside in our area and the more access that came be made for both pleasure and convenience so that people can get out and about can be only a bonus"