Your feedback on proposals to improve Cheddar Gorge needed

Monday, 20 June, 2022

Local News

Sedgemoor District Council has ambitious plans to make Cheddar the very best that it can be by putting in a bid to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund. The plans including the village and Gorge well connected and welcoming for everyone who spends time in Cheddar; support businesses and create more opportunities for people who live and work there.

The council has put together a short survey, listing the ideas that have already come forward such as new transport hubs, attractive public spaces and ways to make it easier to visit and spend time in Cheddar. The survey runs until 30 June and can be found here –

Improve Cheddar Gorge Survey

The initial ideas were recently presented to the Cheddar Vision Group - a local stakeholder organisation which works to identify opportunities for investment to regenerate the economy of Cheddar.

There will also be leaflet in and around Cheddar to explain the proposals with the following aims:-

Create an improved destination for visitors, with attractive public spaces
Enable alternatives to car use, including park and ride, cycling and walking routes
Improve pedestrian footways within Cheddar Gorge, slow traffic speeds and tackle anti-social behaviour.

Potential areas already identified for consideration include:

Exploring the creation of a transport hub at Cliff Street/Tweentown car park, with better pedestrian links to the gorge, improved cycle parking, electric vehicle charging and improved bus stops, as well as visitor information.
Examining opportunities for improved pedestrian routes, electric vehicle charging and cycle parking throughout the gorge, as well as improving interfaces with other pedestrian routes such as the Mendip Way.
Introducing traffic calming measures to slow traffic speeds and prioritise pedestrians and cyclists, as part of improvements to pavements in the gorge.
Identifying opportunities to declutter streetscapes and provide consistent street furniture (for benches, bins, signs, bollards) and will produce a better link between Cheddar Gorge Car Park and other areas.

Sedgemoor District Council’s Portfolio-Holder for Inward Investment and Growth Gill Slocombe said: “Cheddar is a great place to live, work and visit, but we want it to be the very best that it can be. That is why we have been looking at how long and short term improvements like creating new transport hubs, enhancing public spaces could make visiting and spend time locally easier and more enjoyable. Making Cheddar more attractive and encouraging visitors would benefit the local economy and support businesses, creating more opportunities for people who live and work in the area.”

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Improving traffic flow and traffic congestion

We want a common-sense approach to traffic management, which has got worse and worse in recent years. We would like to see the Magic Roundabout remodelled, the Cheddar Recycling Centre relocated to a nearby location, a potential one-way system in Axbridge and an average speed camera on the Axbridge bypass.

Finally sorting out the problems of the Gorge

Cheddar Gorge should be an asset for the local community, rather than a distraction. Our discussions with the police include the potential closure of the Gorge to traffic at certain times over the weekends and installing noise cameras that penalise drivers in deliberately noisy cars, as well as a more visible police presence.

Getting people out of their cars

We want to see an increase in the provision of subsidised buses and improved safe routes for cycling and walking, the completion of the Strawberry Line and at the same time, encouragement for more local sporting activities and facilities. Connecting villages and towns to each other with safe routes

Supporting our local businesses

We have been working with local traders and business owners to help Covid recovery. We would also like to see more community events, such as a possible Cheddar Cheese Festival, as well as an increase in tourism. Somerset Conservatives have built 10 new enterprise centres.