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The path will provide a key link between the precinct area and the nearby school. A high-quality resin path protected by bollards will be installed along the perimeter of the Co-operative store building, including a ramp into the slightly sloping school grounds.
This will allow safer access for children and their parents/guardians from the Precinct area into the school grounds and provide an alternative to using the narrow footways on the B3133 High Street between the Co-operative car park access and the school access road.
It is the first part of a package of improvements for the village as part of the wider Connected Yatton Transport Improvements that saw support from the community as part of a public consultation in 2021.
The aim of the Connected Yatton Transport Improvements are to:
Improve safety and perceptions of safety for people walking, cycling and using other forms of active travel between North End and Yatton village centre, including trips to and from school.
Increase the proportion of journeys made by active, lower-carbon trips (such as walking, cycling and scooting) within Yatton village, particularly from new developments at North End.
Ensure the new developments at North End Yatton contribute to making the village a safe, active and attractive place to live, work, study, create, do business and spend leisure time.
Cllr Steve Hogg, North Somerset Council's executive member with responsibility for sustainable travel said: "We are committed to introducing schemes that encourage active travel. By introducing this path we hope to create a safer space that will encourage people to make their journey on foot or by bike therefore supporting the council's commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030."
Cllr Steve Bridger, Leader of North Somerset Council and ward member for Yatton added: "Creating this safe walking route into the school is only the first step in the delivery of a much wider vision to make streets in Yatton more people-friendly."
Cllr Wendy Griggs, ward member for Yatton said: "I am absolutely delighted that after much discussion and hard work our children will, at last, be able to walk into school, safely avoiding a narrow part of the High Street. My thanks to all concerned for making this happen."
As part of the Connected Yatton Transport Improvements, the new path is being funded by contributions from developments at North End Yatton, from North Somerset Council’s Integrated Transport Block (received annually from the Department for Transport) and from the Department for Transport's (DfT) City Deal funding.
The Connected Yatton Transport Improvements are due to be delivered between November and March 2023 subject to final detailed designs being approved.
Details of the consultation held in 2021 can be found at https://n-somerset.inconsult.uk/yattonhighst/consultationHome