Two tunnels getting ready to open

Its less than 100 days to the opening of major improvements on the cyclepath from Radstock into Bath. The Two Tunnels Greenway is planned to formally open on April 6th 2013 and much of the work has already been completed.

This shared-use path will reuse what was one of the most characterful sections of one of England's favourite railway routes. The Two Tunnels burrow beneath Combe Down, the high ground south of Bath. This will be a dramatic and accessible route leading from the south to the city and available for use on foot or cycle. The campaign for this was started by a community group local to the route.

The route will be well-surfaced – an accessible path, giving space for anything from a short walk with friends, to a thirteen mile largely traffic free 'Bath Half Marathon' circular route out to Dundas Aqueduct and then back to Bath via the canal towpath.

This will be a destination for touring cyclists from at least as far afield as mainland Europe, and will help bring visitors to Bath out from the city centre as well as, most importantly, offering locals the chance for healthy exercise or even commuting trips to Bath by bike.

At the southern end of the Two Tunnels project, National Cyclepath route 24, called Colliers Way connects to Radstock and then Frome. Radstock, like Frome, lacks a short, off-road section to complete a traffic free route. This is blocked by NRR's ugly blue hoardings.

Great Elm to frome

Major progress is being made on completing the Frome end of the missing eastern link in the Frome to Radstock cyclepath. Over fourteen volunteers turned out for work during the weekend of 14th and 15th December and managed to clear out quite a lot of dead wood and recovered about four tonnes of firewood. This will be seasoned and cut into short lengths and be available in return for a suitable donation with Chain Gang members having first refusal.

Pride of place during the work weekend went to Gordon Davies who worked incredibly hard leading the construction of a set of steps from the bottom of Buckland Bridge, on the lane between Great Elm and Buckland Dinham to the top of the embankment, and are now to be known as Gordon's Steps, see the picture on the right. These steps provide a safe way up the embankment both for walkers who have turned the tracks next to the bridge wing walls into a mud slide, but also for us when path construction starts in earnest.

This short cut eliminates a half-mile walk up the slope and back along the existing track, so inevitably will become a desire line for walkers, especially once the path is opened. Incidentally, the steps made use of the deck timbers from the old Spring Gardens footbridge.

Opening the path to the public means that some action will need to be taken to guard the top of the northern bridge parapet which is currently too low. Sustrans are currently evaluating what is needed here to make the location safe.

Organisers hope to have planning consent from Mendip district Council for the Welshmill Bridge to Whatcombe Farm section by mid-January. If this is so there is an urgent need to clear the route along the riverside before bird nesting starts and developer's contractors start work in March. A provisional date for a work day on the 9th or 10th February has been set for this job.

The local organisers are in discussion with Sustrans, the national cyclepath charity, on the best way to construct this link. Sustrans would prefer a summer work camp with volunteers able to devote a week or even two to laying the path in conjunction with professional machine drivers who do the great bulk of the heavy work.

Volunteers are still vital for trimming and performing other tasks which cannot easily be done by machine, such as fencing etc. Some preparation work, such as vegetation clearance, can be done earlier. This contribution is essential as it provides the value of the match funding for possible grant funding.

A work camp has many logistical advantages, but needs sufficient volunteers. To this end, it would be very helpful if people could indicate whether they would be likely to attend a work camp (and for how long) or will their help only be available at weekends. Please let the organisers know via the Doodle poll: http://www.doodle.com/r8bdeiipaq4fh3y2">http://www.doodle.com/r8bdeiipaq4fh3y2

A camp does not mean people have to stay on site, although some may and this does assist with security. It does, however, provide an opportunity for evening sociability. There is a pub in Buckland Dinham.