Banwell Bypass costs soar to £105 million
Building a bypass around the congested village of Banwell was first proposed in 1927
Another £14m is set to be spent on building a bypass around a congested village in North Somerset, as the total bill for the project hits £105m.
Building a bypass around the congested village of Banwell was first proposed in 1927. It has been plagued by uniquely terrible traffic since at least the mid-eighteenth century, and today two A-roads funnel traffic into the village which at one point has to go down a single track lane.
The project was originally set to cost £66m entirely funded by Homes England. But after major delays, — including the original contractor pulling out last year — the cost has soared to £105.14m. Costs had already increased to £90m by mid-2023, with North Somerset Council and Homes England agreeing to split the £23.9m difference.
Now Homes England has put up another £9.7m and North Somerset Council will vote on April 1 on approving another £4.8m of council capital funding. But council has insisted this is the final decision needed before the main construction works can begin — and it will be issuing the “notice to proceed” with the main construction at the same time.
Leader of North Somerset Council Mike Bell said: “It’s good news that Homes England have given another green light to the Banwell bypass, providing the funding boost we need to continue the work already underway to build the bypass.
“Not only does the scheme form an important part of our ambition to deliver £450m of capital investment into local infrastructure, but it also supports further economic growth for our area and helps us to deliver on our local plan ambitions. It’s set to remove a notorious congestion pinch point from Banwell village, improving links between Weston-super-Mare and the A38, whilst also providing walking, cycling and horse-riding routes to help promote sustainable travel.”
The council has only recently passed major cuts to balance its revenue budget for the next year, but capital spending — such as for the bypass — comes from a separate budget which cannot be used for covering day-to–day spending. The latest £4.8m council contribution comes from capital reinvestment, developer contributions, and from the economic development fund.
Mr Bell added: “This bypass has been almost a century in the making and — together — we have overcome twists, turns and other bumps in road, pulling out all the stops as we arrive ever closer to making the scheme a reality. I’d like to thank everyone who has put in the work and shown their support so far. We now look forward to starting main construction ready for the bypass to open in early 2027.”
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