Transport links to improve to Somerset nature reserves
It's to help promote people being more active.
A series of spectacular nature reserves in the Somerset Levels can be more easily accessed without a car as part of a trial which runs until March 2026.
The Avalon Marshes Centre lies on Shapwick Road just outside Westhay, and provides a gateway to several national nature reserves (NNRs), including Shapwick Heath, Shapwick Moor and Westhay Moor.
The Avalon and Poldens local community network (LCN) recently launched the ‘Step, Ride, Thrive’ initiative to improve transport links between the nature reserves and local communities.
The initiative will see the local 668 bus service (run by Libra Travel) call directly at the visitors’ centre until March 2026, as well as providing support for local cyclists and schools to encourage active travel.
This project comes as Natural England prepares to feature Westhay Moor in a series of films (produced with the University of Exeter) about conservation across the south west, encouraging people to get involved in the protection and enhancement of these landscapes.
The Avalon and Poldens LCN brings together 23 town and parish councils east of Bridgwater (including Street Parish Council and Glastonbury Town Council), along with a range of voluntary organisations and community groups.
The ‘Step, Ride, Thrive’ initiative has been made possible through a grant of £35,000 provided by the Somerset Association of Local Councils (SALC) through its community health and well-being fund.
The initiative seeks to “promote healthier lifestyles, reduce social isolation, and strengthen the connection between people and nature through better transport options” – in light of 31 per cent of LCN residents being without a car.
There are three key prongs to the initiative:
A pilot extension of the 668 bus route (which runs on weekdays from Shipham to Street via Cheddar, Wedmore and Glastonbury) so that it calls directly at the Avalon Marshes Centre
Working with local charity On Your Bike to host free health check events for the public and deliver bike maintenance workshops for primary school pupils – in conjunction with an affordable cycle hire scheme operating from the Avalon Marshes Centre
Organising a series of guided walks, well-being events, and downloadable walking guides to help local residents explore nature and “support green social prescribing” (i.e. where GPs prescribe exercise or other non-clinical treatments rather than medication)
Councillor Theo Butt Philip, Somerset Council’s portfolio holder for transformation, human resources and localities, said: “This is more than just a transport scheme – it’s a real investment in our communities’ health, well-being, and connection to nature.
“Step, Ride, Thrive offers new opportunities for residents of all ages to explore the Avalon Marshes sustainably and safely, while tackling transport inequalities and encouraging a more active lifestyle.”
SALC chief executive Ewan Jones added: “It is great to see the town and parish councils across the Avalon and Poldens LCN working together to help people in towns get to their local places where they can connect with Somerset’s nature.
“Towns and villages provide more for their communities when they team up.”
This initiative comes as Natural England prepares to showcase conservation efforts at Westhay Moor as part of a series of new films which are being uploaded to YouTube over the summer.
The films are being funded by Natural England with contributions from the the University of Exeter and National Trust as part of the wider RENEW project, which is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
The film series, entitled ‘West West Country Odyssey’, features poems by University of Exeter poetry professor John Wedgwood Clarke and is designed to bring conservation efforts to a wider audience in a more accessible way.
David Burton, Natural England’s principal officer for the protected site strategies implementation and development programme, said: “The films’ approach is to educate and highlight the need for nature recovery to everyone.
“Too often the environment sector has failed to communicate the plight of biodiversity in accessible, positive and thought-provoking ways.
“For our protected site strategies to realise the ambition we have set for them, resetting the relationships between nature and people in ways that build a resilient future for all, we need to harness the power of creative channels for our call to action.”
The short film about Westhay Moor NNR will be released on Natural England’s YouTube channel on July 7, and will focus on how peat restoration can play a part in mitigating climate change.
Other sites features in the series include the Exe and Otter estuaries in Devon and Challacombe Farm in the Dartmoor National Park.
Film director Simon Willis said :”The human effort that goes into keeping these nature reserves thriving for wildlife is remarkable.
“I hope our images and John’s words encourage people to look beyond the picture postcard and really value the wildlife that makes the south west such a great place to visit.”
Mr Wedgwood Clarke added: “The south west’s diverse and beautiful landscapes have been the source of great joy for so many people and have inspired writers and artists over time.
“But take a closer look and you realise how fragile many of our ecosystems have become and the lengths to which our agencies and charities have to go in order to conserve their biodiversity.
“I hope these films, and the visual and verbal poetry they contain, inspire people to explore this beautiful part of the world and think about how they can support, in whatever way they can, the work the goes in to helping people and nature thrive together in these special places.”