MORE than £3.5 million has been confirmed for the first phase of the Somer Valley Links programme starting this autumn.

Residents across the Somer Valley will benefit from better public transport infrastructure and safer, more accessible routes for walking, wheeling and cycling, with greater connectivity between the Somer Valley, Bath and Bristol.

£2.9 million from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, and £720,000 from Bath and North East Somerset Council using S106 developer agreements and other capital funding sources, will be used to improve travel choices.

The scheme is designed to provide people with more attractive alternatives to car travel, helping tackle congestion on the A37, A367 and A362, while making everyday journeys easier, safer and more sustainable.

Following public consultation on the full Somer Valley Links proposals in 2025, a phased approach to delivery was agreed.

This first phase will deliver three new travel hubs at Farrington Gurney, Midsomer Norton and Peasedown St John with useful facilities such as secure cycle parking at main bus stops, upgrading the northbound bus stop at Clutton, featuring a new bus shelter with real time information and seating and a signalised crossing point for easier access.

A traffic-free quiet route is planned on Old Mills Lane, giving walkers and cyclists a more pleasant link from Paulton to the A362 and future Enterprise Zone, with widened pavements, new crossing points and reduced speed limits at key locations, notably the Bath Road/A367 junction at Peasedown.

Works will start in the autumn, with detailed construction dates announced nearer the time.

The Somer Valley is one of five growth zones highlighted in the regional Growth Strategy, with the potential to create a modern zone for rural innovation and sustainable industry.

Mayor of the West of England, Helen Godwin, said: "I’m delighted that people in places including Clutton, Midsomer Norton, Farrington Gurney and Peasedown St John will be getting better access to sustainable transport choices through our joint investment.

“As one of our region’s key Growth Zones, enabling more sustainable travel in the Somer Valley is crucial to help deliver our ambition for the area as a centre for green business, community growth, and regeneration.

“Projects like this will show what can be achieved when the combined authority and councils work together, laying the foundations for a better-connected West of England and a transport network that people can trust.”

Cabinet member for sustainable transport delivery at Bath & North East Somerset Council, Cllr Lucy Hodge, said: “This is great news for the Somer Valley. Securing this funding means we can start delivering the improvements local people have told us they want, from better bus facilities to safer routes for walking, wheeling and cycling.

“They will make everyday journeys easier, safer and more reliable for communities across Clutton, Farrington Gurney, Midsomer Norton, Paulton and Peasedown St John.

“This is an important step towards giving people real travel choices and supporting the long‑term future of the Somer Valley as a well‑connected and sustainable place to live and work.”