Local issues and answers

In this section we have answered some of the key issues, questions, and concerns that have been raised by residents through consultation on the Banwell bypass so far.

Traffic lights in Banwell to manage the flow of traffic at the junction of West Street, East Street, Castle Hill, High Street and Church Road have been considered as an alternative to the bypass in the past, but this potential solution has not been taken forward.

This is because any system of traffic lights at the junction would need to allow traffic from each of these five roads (West Street, East Street, Castle Hill, High Street and Church Road) to move one at a time and in sequence.

An initial assessment of the traffic light sequencing suggests that long traffic queues on each of the five roads would build up due to the time waiting for the traffic lights to turn green.

Negative impacts from the traffic queues at each of the five arms would likely be worse than the existing situation and as such would not meet the bypass scheme objectives.

It is difficult to completely restrict the movement of HGVs as they are allowed to use any classification of road to collect from or deliver to individual properties - even if there is a weight restriction in place (unless it is a physical restriction such as a weight limit for a weak bridge).

However, there is already an HGV restriction on the A371 through Winscombe. A bypass would also enable the number of HGVs to be significantly reduced through Banwell. The A368 (A371) is the current HGV route between Churchill and Weston-super-Mare.

Further analysis is being undertaken around HGV movements during the development of the bypass’ design.

• better connection from Banwell to the Strawberry Line.
• make Wolvershill Road a safer route for cycling to Worle/WsM.

Providing improved active and sustainable travel opportunities between local villages and Weston-super-Mare is one of the bypass scheme objectives. Active and sustainable travel includes walking, cycling and horse riding.

Opportunities have been identified for improvements to the active and sustainable travel network around Banwell including: the potential for better connections for walkers and cyclists between Weston-super-Mare and the Strawberry Line and the potential for making Wolvershill Road more attractive for walking and cycling.

You can see our proposals for improved walking and cycling routes in our second consultation booklets, available at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bypass2022

Opportunities to improve horse riding around Banwell have been identified and we're now looking at how we could progress these. They include a 3m wide path running alongside, but separate from, the bypass, suitable for walkers, cyclists, and horse riders; quieter routes through Banwell village as a result of reduced through traffic; and additional horse-riding routes linking Moor Road to Banwell Village under the bypass via Riverside.

You read about these opportunities in our second consultation booklet. There is also further consultation ongoing with horse riders as part of an update to the walking, cycling and horse-riding assessment for the scheme.

The proposals for wider mitigation in Winscombe, Churchill and Sandford include measures for children walking and cycling to school, please refer to pages 42-46 of the detailed consultation booklet

We are also looking to deliver placemaking in Banwell which improve walking and cycling within the village. The bypass will provide a new connection to join up existing footways between Locking and Sandford. You can read more about this in the detailed consultation booklet (March 2022).

Detailed traffic modelling is still being undertaken to understand the impact of the bypass on the wider road network and features to reduce those impacts will be presented in full in the Transport Assessment that will be submitted with the planning application.

Side road improvements to avoid “rat running” and improve active / sustainable travel (such as walking, cycling and horse-riding opportunities) are among the measures being considered. You can see our proposals so far in our second consultation booklets, available at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bypass2022

A bypass of Banwell would remove the majority of traffic from the village, which would provide opportunities to improve the existing walking and cycling routes through the village.

The removal of traffic alone would improve both the quality and safety of journeys through Banwell on foot or by bike, but other measures are under consideration to further improve and enhance the centre of Banwell such as better active travel routes and facilities, additional road crossings and shared public spaces.

A new footpath/cycleway running alongside the Banwell bypass is being proposed in addition to – rather than as a replacement for – walking and cycling improvements being considered through Banwell village.

We are looking at options to reduce impacts of the bypass and improve road safety in the villages surrounding Banwell and on routes towards Weston-super-Mare, including speed limit changes in Sandford, Churchill and Winscombe. You can see these proposals on page 43 of our second consultation booklets, available at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bypass2022

A connection between the proposed bypass and the M5 was not part of the bypass funding bid and is not needed to meet the scheme’s objectives. As a result, the connection is not being explored in the design.

Concerns surrounding the potential impact of the bypass on Banwell Football Club and recreation grounds have been noted from the first consultation.

Acting on those concerns, we have now amended the route of the bypass to minimise the impact to the pitches, resulting in a reduced impact on the club.

We continue working with the football club, ensuring their concerns are heard as work continues to alleviate any negative impacts of the Bypass route.

Concerns surrounding the potential impact on Summer Lane Park Homes have also been noted from the first consultation.

Acting on those concerns, we amended the western section of the Bypass route and roundabout junction. The route and roundabout are now further away from the caravan park. You can see these proposals in more detail in our second consultation booklets, available at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bypass2022

North Somerset Council have declared a climate emergency and announced the ambition of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.

As such, opportunities to reduce carbon emissions in construction and the use of the Bypass are being prioritised and progressed as the design is developed.

We know that road transport and construction are both responsible for generating a significant amount of carbon emissions and recognise the potential for carbon impacts as a result of the Bypass.

We have to balance avoiding carbon impacts with the need for new homes to support our growing families and communities. Banwell Bypass is a vital project in making sure we have the infrastructure needed to support that future growth. With this in mind, we have looked at what we can do to reduce carbon emissions in both the construction and the eventual operation of the bypass.

We are considering what is called the ‘Whole Life Carbon’ impact of the bypass from the beginning of design. This means we are thinking about carbon impacts before and during construction, as well as in maintenance and use of the bypass in future. By doing this, we are able to build carbon reduction measures into the scheme design. You can read more about how we plan to reduce carbon on page 35 of our consultation booklet, available at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bypass2022

Ensuring the opportunity to increase Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) by at least 10% is also one of North Somerset Council’s objectives for the Scheme

We are currently undertaking an environmental impact assessment (which will be submitted in an Environmental Statement with the planning application for the Scheme) to understand the full impact of the Scheme on biodiversity. We will then mitigate those impacts including by providing replacement habitats.

Our intention is to go beyond just mitigating impacts of the Scheme, instead providing enough additional habitat to achieve a Biodiversity Net Gain (i.e. an improvement on current biodiversity) of at least 10%.

There are a number of ways we can achieve this. They include:

• Creating habitats for biodiversity by reinstating ditches and rhynes and managing non-native weeds
• Managing wetland areas using traditional techniques such as seasonal and controlled flooding
• Replanting riverbanks with native trees to create species rich grasslands
• Planting more trees and introducing hedgerows for animals such as birds, dormice and bats, with types of plant that provide food sources
• Grassland could be enhanced and rhynes reinstated to provide opportunities to reintroduce otters and water voles

There is also potential to expand the traditional orchard in the area next to it and provide opportunities for community harvesting, as well as introduction of a seedbank.

You can read more about the ways we can boost biodiversity on page 36 of our second consultation booklet, available at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bypass2022

The proposed bypass is further from the village of Banwell than the existing road through the village, therefore will reduce noise and improve air quality in the area.

Though there are likely to be increased noise impacts on properties close to the bypass, we are considering whether noise barriers, such as fencing, earthworks and hedgerows along the bypass could reduce these impacts.

Low noise road surfacing also is being considered but is unlikely have a benefit because of the lower noise of vehicles travelling to the 40mph speed limit.

Measures to reduce construction noise and vibration are being considered and will be included in the scheme’s Environmental Statement when it is published.

The inclusion of the Southern Link means fewer vehicles would need to use the A368/A371 junction and the narrow sections of Castle Hill, resulting in reduced air and noise pollution in that area.

The project team are aware of the Source Protection Zone (SPZ) that lies underneath part of the proposed Southern Link.

Further ground investigations have been undertaken as part of the scheme design, which help us to understand the nature, extent and depths of the aquifer and overlaying soil.

Using the findings of the ground investigations, the scheme design will be further developed to prevent any potential impacts on the SPZ (such as infiltration from the road drainage) and minimise ground disturbance as far as is reasonably practicable.

The relevant authorities are being consulted throughout the design process and engagement with the Environment Agency and Bristol Water is already in progress. The Environmental Statement, when published, will include a Hydrogeological Impact Assessment which will outline any impacts on the SPZ, as well as any measures being adopted to mitigate those impacts.

The traffic model will assess future traffic increases at the ‘scheme opening’ year and at the ‘design year’ on the existing highway network both with and without the bypass and wider network improvements that result from general population growth and known / planned development. The design year for assessment is typically 15 years post opening.

Traffic modelling data is still in draft and will be made publicly available when a planning application is submitted for the scheme. We have provided an update on progress with the traffic modelling on pages 26 and 27 of our second consultation booklet, available at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bypass2022

These pages show traffic for the ‘Base Year’, which provides an idea of local traffic numbers in 2018. The pages also show expected traffic numbers in 2024, which is referred to as the ‘Opening Year’.

Traffic modelling shown in the consultation booklet provides what is likely a worst-case scenario, as it does not consider the effect of proposed measures to reduce traffic impacts of the bypass, any further traffic mitigation measures that might be taken forward as a result of the Local Plan nor expected changes to travel habits such as more people choosing to travel more sustainably by bike or on foot.    

In 2019, NSC successfully secured £97.1 million of funding from Homes England’s Housing Infrastructure Fund to deliver the essential infrastructure needed to benefit existing communities and support the delivery of 7,557 new homes.

4,482 of these new homes will be located and are currently under construction at the existing Weston Villages development sites of Haywood Village and Locking Parklands.

The location of the remaining 3,075 homes will be subject to the new Local Plan process. As such, their exact location is yet to be decided. The location of these homes will be consulted on as part of the upcoming Local Plan consultation.

The Local Plan consultation is separate to this Bypass consultation. If you would like to find out more about the Local Plan visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/newlocalplan

The haul road being used by the National Grid was given planning consent through the National Grid (Hinkley Point C Connection Project) Order 2016 – this allows National Grid to build a road for temporary construction usage on the condition that land is reinstated after works have been completed.

The National Grid’s temporary haul road cuts through a much larger extent of the AONB than the proposed Southern Link road. As such, a permanent road along that route would have a much greater impact on the Mendip Hills AONB and the local environment.

In order to adopt and upgrade the Hinkley Point road into a permanent route, we would need to seek full planning consent (as we need to for the Banwell bypass scheme), which we would be unlikely to receive due to the negative long term environmental impacts of a road in this location.

In addition, the timescales of the funding agreement with Homes England to deliver the bypass do not align with the programme of delivery for Hinkley Point, which further prevents us from using their haul route as an alternative.

We have carefully considered whether or not a southern link should be included as part of the bypass scheme. The southern link would be a single carriageway road, linking the A368 (East Street) to the A371 (Castle Hill). A T-junction will provide a connection from the southern link back into Banwell.

The benefits of providing the Southern Link, delivered together with the bypass, will be:

• A greater number of vehicles driving in both directions will use the new bypass instead of continuing to use the A371 through Banwell in order to travel towards Winscombe.
• Vehicles travelling on routes from the Winscombe and Cheddar areas will be able to access the bypass without using the A368/A371 junction and the narrow sections of Castle Hill.
• Significantly lower levels of traffic along the A371 through Banwell will increase the opportunities for walking, cycling and horse-riding.
• Significantly fewer vehicles will need to continue to use the A368/A371 junction and the narrow sections of West Street, resulting in less congestion and air and noise pollution. Through traffic will be removed from Castle Hill in Banwell, which will have benefits for residents.

Castle Hill will no longer be a through road for vehicles, but pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders will still be able to travel up it. Dark Lane will become a cul-de-sac. Vehicle access for residents will be unimpacted.

We are aware of bat roosts in the area and have undertaken a number of surveys to minimise the impact on bats in the bypass’ design. We are working with statutory environmental bodies to ensure any impacts on bats are fully mitigated.

There are no proposals to move bats.

How we plan to reduce possible impacts of the Southern Link Road on the AONB will be fully addressed in our scheme planning application for consideration by the relevant authorities.

This is a key consideration of the Banwell bypass and is referred to in one of our scheme objectives: to ensure the development respects the local area and minimises visual impact upon the surrounding countryside and Mendip Hills AONB. 

To minimise any visual impact on the surrounding countryside, the scheme’s current landscape design considers views both to and from the countryside and AONB. You can read more about ways we can reduce impacts on the AONB on page 34 of our second consultation booklet, available at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bypass2022

Traffic modelling data is still in draft and will be made publicly available when a planning application is submitted for the scheme.

Though the number of vehicles using the roads through the surrounding villages is likely to increase, there are features being considered as part of design to reduce the impacts of that traffic increase.

Based on the initial traffic modelling work we are undertaking, it is clear that providing a bypass of Banwell will significantly reduce the amount of traffic on the A371 through Banwell. That will reduce the traffic congestion issues that the narrow, single lane section causes, and make the A371 route freer flowing.

From a road user perspective, journey times are likely to be improved from the 2018 ‘Base Year’ along the A368 and A371 if the bypass is built.

You can find initial findings from our traffic modelling on pages 26 and 27 of our second consultation booklet, available at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bypass2022

The bypass scheme includes a package of improvements to local villages and the local road network. Our current proposals for local improvements have been partly informed by the useful feedback received from residents in our first consultation and our parish council working group sessions.

The work to design the bypass and other improvements to the area has not yet been fully completed, however, we have presented our progress so far in our second public consultation You can read and comment on our current proposals until Friday 22 April at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bypass2022  

We are not yet able to confirm locations for new housing. The location of new homes in the area will be subject to the new Local Plan process. The Local Plan team are holding their own consultation on their proposals, which opens on Monday 14 March.

This consultation is separate to the bypass scheme and can be accessed by visiting www.n-somerset.gov.uk/newlocalplan

• speed limit reduction from 30mph to 20mph through Sandford village is proposed from west of Mead Lane to east of Greenhill Lane.
• measures to help vehicles stick to the speed limit without the need for formal speed limit enforcements, such as changes to road markings, road surfacing, new signage and some localised narrowing of the road.
• new gateway features are also proposed at the approaches to the village where the reduction to a 20mph speed limit would begin.
• we are proposing a walking and cycle path to run alongside the bypass and branch off around the solar farm, heading to Sandford and the Strawberry Line, providing a continuous off-road connection with Weston-super-Mare.
• an additional pedestrian crossing is proposed to the west of the junction with Hill Road.

You can find more information about proposed changes in Sandford on page 44 of our second consultation booklet, available at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bypass2022

• a speed limit reduction from 30mph to 20mph through Winscombe proposed from west of Church Road to east of Belmont Road.
• a reduction to 20mph is also proposed on Church Road, from its junction with the A371 to Winscombe Hill.
• measures to help vehicles stick to the speed limit without the need for formal speed limit enforcements, such as changes to road markings, road surfacing, new signage, and some localised narrowing of the road.
• new gateway features are also proposed at the approaches to the village where the reduction to a 20mph speed limit would begin.

You can find more information about proposed changes in Winscombe on page 44 of our second consultation booklet, available at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bypass2022

• speed limit reduction from 30mph to 20mph through Churchill from west of The Drive to Churchill Gate junction.
• 20mph speed limit to be applied to Hillier’s Lane, Front Street and part of Church Lane
• speed limit reduction on the 40mph section towards Sandford to be reduced to 30mph.
• measures to help vehicles stick to the speed limit without the need for formal speed limit enforcements, such as changes to road markings, road surfacing, new signage, and some localised narrowing of the road.
• new gateway features are also proposed at the approaches to the village where the reduction to a 20mph speed limit would begin.
• improvements to an existing Public Right of Way (footpath) between the A368 and Churchill Green
• to the east of Churchill Academy, the existing Public Right of Way footpaths towards Langford provide an opportunity to upgrade four sections of footpath so that they can be used by cyclists.
• we are proposing changes to increase Churchill junction capacity, specifically at the western (A368) and southern (A38) approaches.

You can find more information about proposed changes in Churchill on page 45 of our second consultation booklet, available at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bypass2022

Of the £97 million provided by Homes England, £65 million will be spent against the bypass and associated works, the remaining £32 million will go towards the design and build of a new secondary school – Winterstoke Hundred Academy.

The £65 million for the bypass covers the design, build, utility upgrades, land assembly costs, wider mitigations, and contingency/risk.