September 23, 2005
Huge new flood protection scheme gets underway at Apex Park

Work starts in the week commencing Monday 26th September on increasing the height of part of the flood defence embankment on the Brue Estuary near Apex Park at Burnham-On-Sea.

The scheme will also involve the creation of a surfaced path linking Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge.

The scheme is the result of collaboration between the Environment Agency, Sedgemoor District Council, Somerset County Council and Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity responsible for the hugely successful National Cycle Network. The work will be carried out by Ford Bros Limited of Cheddar.

The path proposal received widespread local support through the Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge Community Strategy / Market and Coastal Towns Initiative and was selected as a priority project.

The project will also include the provision of benches at intervals along the path, allowing users to pause and enjoy the views and wildlife of the estuary.

The existing public footpath route along the embankment will be closed for the duration of the works, which may take up to 13 weeks.

The floodbank works are mainly in the eastern section of the route, alongside Apex Park and will raise the height by about 0.4 metres (16 inches) in order to bring this up to the same standard as the existing western part of the defences.

The existing path is in variable condition. The eastern half is unsurfaced, a central section has a rough stoned surface and the western end is tarred.

The tarred western section will remain unchanged but the remainder of the path will be upgraded to a 3 metre wide compacted limestone grit surface over a stone sub-base.

Some people do already use the path as an unofficial cycle route, but when the surfaced path is installed this will be an official 'shared-use' path for pedestrians and cyclists. The surfacing will also be of benefit to wheelchair and pushchair users.

The path will link to Highbridge town centre via the new path at the eastern end of Apex Park which was built earlier this year. In total this traffic free cycle path is about one mile long and will be signposted as part of the National Cycle Network "Route 33". National Route 33 will eventually run from Weston-super-Mare to Seaton and Lyme Regis on a mixture of on-road and traffic free sections.

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Apex Park