A £2.2 million investment has been approved by Devon County Councillors to complete more sections of a “missing link” of the Tarka Trail in North Devon.
The County Council’s Cabinet has agreed construction of three more phases of the route between Willingcott and Knowle, just north of Braunton.
A traffic-free section of the Tarka Trail currently links Ilfracombe to Willingcott. However, from here the existing route is predominantly on-road, with challenging topography, until it reaches the next section of Tarka Trail in Knowle. The on-road nature of this section limits its appeal.
Councillors have approved the use of a Department for Transport Active Travel Fund grant and Safer Roads Funding, as well as Local Transport Plan funding, to construct:
- A 300 metre off-road segregated shared use path from Spreacombe Junction to North Buckland Hill, providing a safe alternative to the busy A361 road which has no pavement.
- Improvements to a short 150 metre section of North Buckland Hill, including additional road markings and improved visibility, and the widening/upgrading of a 560 metre stretch of an adjoining public bridleway. Most of this bridleway will be widened to 2.5 metres, narrowing to 1.5 metres where restricted by existing buildings. It will be surfaced to create a high-quality multi-use path. Work will also be carried out on nearby rest areas.
- The widening and surfacing of an existing off-road route between Deans Copse, Nethercott Road and Knowle. Working with the landowner, a Public Path Creation Order is being progressed to re-designate the existing footpath as a bridleway which will allow these upgrades to be undertaken, and also permit cycling and horse riding on the route.
Negotiations are underway to complete the associated purchases of land.
Completing these sections will just leave the stretch from Foxhunters to Spreacombe as the only outstanding section between Willingcott and Knowle. Proposals for this area are being developed but funding is yet to be identified.
Councillor Jacqi Hodgson, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Biodiversity, said:
“The Tarka Trail is an extremely popular route which is important to the local economy, but this missing link between Willingcott and Knowle is hampering the trail from realising its full potential. Completing this section will open up the route to more communities north of Braunton, making walking and cycling a more realistic option for more people, whether it’s for leisure or to travel to work or education. It’s good for the local environment, good for people’s health and will help reduce carbon emissions.”
Councillor Graham Bell, County Councillor for Braunton Rural, said:
“When we can complete this section of the Tarka Trail, we will be getting close to having a continuous off-road cycle trail between Ilfracombe on the north coast down to Plymouth. In 90-something miles there will be 70 miles off off-road trail for cyclists and walkers; an incredible achievement. Linking Ilfracombe to the cycle network is a vital part of the regeneration of the town and provides massive tourism and business opportunities for North Devon, as well as providing a safe route for children and others to reach Braunton, Barnstaple rail station and beyond.”
Councillor Andrea Davis, County Councillor for Combe Martin Rural, said:
“Over the last 20 years I’ve been lobbying for the Tarka Trail and the missing link, and this is the closest we’ve ever been to actually completing this. In the past five years we’ve done more than in the previous 15, so I’m very pleased to see this come forward.”
A number of sections between Willingcott and Knowle have already been completed including stretches from Willingcott Holiday Village to Buttercombe Lane, Buttercombe Lane to Foxhunters, Cottages to Nethercott Road (aside from rest areas) and Nethercott Road.
A new section of trail through Willingcott Holiday Village is also due to be delivered in due course by a private developer as part of planning permission to expand the holiday park.
Completing the 32-mile Tarka Trail is one of the two top priorities in Devon County Council’s Countywide Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), and during public consultation of the plan, the delivery of the missing link was supported by 95% of respondents.