Tag: walking

Wootton Road Closures

Published on by Lesley WebbLeave a comment

National Grid are intending to refurbish the low voltage electricity line within Wootton Courtenay. This is to improve the reliability and capacity of the lines and hopefully reduce the amount of interruptions to customers supplies caused during bad weather. The start date is the 5th of June.

The overall intention is to carry out the works as follows:

Under the initial road closure we erect all the poles and stay support wires, using excavators and a lorry. (Stay support wires are the wires that go from pole top down to a galvanised rod into the ground to support the pole.) We will then return from the 1st of September to the 12th to carry out the pole changes, replacement of existing wires with new bundled insulated conductor, BT wire transfer (done by Kelly Communications on behalf of BT) and, finally, removal of all poles by National Grid.

The intention is to avoid having to come back and cause further disruption with more road closures and old poles being left for months after.

All new poles are erected next to existing ones by our poling team, SJS Southwest. No poles will be erected without speaking to the landowner and arranging access first. We cannot move poles into new locations, as that has a knock-on effect on pole positions further on. Any accidental damage caused whilst carrying out works will be put right by National Grid at no cost to the customer.

The areas where National Grid will be occupying the road space is spread across five roads. I have labelled them and each diversion A to E, to simplify.

All Saints’ Church to Brockwell Lane (A)
New Road (B)
Brockwell Lane (C)
Ranscombe Road (D)
Fairgarden Road (E)

During the pole works we will only be working on one road at a time, and at no point during the whole project will we occupy all five roads at once. We will confirm the first road we are starting on and inform you by the end of this week [via village email].

Due to BT Openreach working in the area, on certain days we will have an extra three diversion routes. I am waiting to hear back from the council to confirm which days will be affected by Openreach works, and once they are confirmed I will let you know.

Diversion Routes
Each diversion route drawing has been designed by our traffic management provider, Core Highways:

Click here for All Saints’ Church to Brockwell Lane – Diversion A
Click here for New Road – Diversion B
Click here for Brockwell Lane – Diversion C
Click here for Ranscombe Road – Diversion D
Click here for Fairgarden Road – Diversion E

Click here for route avoiding BT Openreach works, Church to Brockwell Lane
Click here for route avoiding BT Openreach works, New Road
Click here for route avoiding BT Openreach works, Ranscombe Road

Access will be maintained for residents. We do ask residents to try and work with us in minimising the amount the contractors have to move, to speed up the process and help us get off the road as quickly as possible. Bin collections and deliveries will be allowed.

All power outages will be confirmed by letter in advance. (Please note we will not generate for businesses affected, only for customers with medical issues).

The initial closure is scheduled for 8 weeks, but hopefully we will be done sooner than this. This is an over-estimation to allow for unexpected hard ground which may delay excavation. However, we cannot guarantee it won’t take the full 8 weeks.

Adam Shepherd
Technician, National Grid

ENP Consultation

Published on by Lesley WebbLeave a comment

ExmoorNational Park Authority (ENPA) has set out its draft ambitions on how it intends to collaborate with partners, people and organisations to help secure a positive future for Exmoor. Views are now being invited on the draft plan for Exmoor, before it is finalised in summer 2025.

In 2023 ENPA asked people to get involved in an extensive Partnership Plan opinion survey to share their honest views. This, along with evidence gathering on the state of Exmoor’s special qualities and workshops with delivery partners, has helped to guide a draft Plan for the next five years and beyond. The Plan is now open for public consultation before it’s formally adopted by the National Park Authority.

The Partnership Plan explains how statutory National Park purposes, to conserve and enhance Exmoor’s natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage, and to promote understanding and enjoyment of these, will be delivered.

Andrea Davis Chairman of Exmoor National Park Authority said:

“Being one of a family of 15 National Parks, Exmoor is nationally significant for people and nature. It takes a collective effort to care for this precious landscape and one of our key roles as a National Park Authority is working with our partners to develop a Partnership (Management) Plan for Exmoor every five years. Globally we face a climate emergency and nature is in crisis, with our natural resources – soil, water and air – and cultural heritage, under pressure. Many of these impacts are felt within the National Park. The Plan sets out our bold ambitions for nature recovery, for positive action to mitigate and adapt to climate change, to improve the quality of our natural resources, and to care for our landscape and heritage.”

Sarah Bryan CEO of Exmoor National Park Authority said:

“However you are involved with Exmoor National Park, we really hope you will take the time to look at the draft plan and have your say. It’s an ambitious plan which includes a range of challenging targets to maximise the benefits our National Park can provide. We particularly want to support young people and a wider diversity of communities, to enable everyone to access all that Exmoor has to offer

We know that we can only achieve these ambitions by working with everyone who loves and cares for Exmoor and we really look forward to hearing your thoughts.”

You can find more on ExmoorNational Park Authority’s

Partnership Plan atwww.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/pp-consultation

Deadline for responses is 10am on Monday 10 March 2025

Exmoor National Park Authority storm appeal

Published on by Lesley WebbLeave a comment

Exmoor National Park Authority (ENPA) has launched an appeal to help clear the significant damage caused by storm Darragh. Following recent storms, many paths on Exmoor’s 1,000km rights of way network have been battered by fallen trees.

You can donate to the Exmoor Storm Darragh Appeal at www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/caremoor

Sections of the South West Coast Path, Two Moors Way and Coleridge Way have been largely blocked and the National Park Field Services Team, along with Teams from ENPA partners including the National Trust and other landowners, are working hard to reopen routes as soon as possible. ENPA warn that it may still be several weeks before some long-distance routes are fully reopen and it’s advising against attempting any affected routes in woodland areas until cleared.

Sarah Bryan CEO of Exmoor National Park Authority said:

“This comes at a time when we celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Exmoor’s designation of the National Park as well as the 75th Anniversary of the pioneering National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act (1949) which helped ensure access for the nation to some of our most special places. The National Park has a fantastic network of paths that provide great benefits to people and support many of our local businesses. ENPA’s skilled Field Services Team are out working on trees full-time, along with tractors and other machinery to get our most important routes open and safe.

We would encourage members of the public to report any rights of way still blocked by fallen trees via https://roam.somerset.gov.uk or email access@exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk with location details and a photo.”

Exmoor National Park Rangers are putting extra time into inspecting routes and liaising with landowners across the landscape. Exmoor National Park Authority Field Services Teams have already cleared over 120 trees from blocked routes including in North Hill, Minehead and the Pinkery outdoor education centre near Simonsbath. Teams are currently working to clear the Coast Path between Porlock Weir and Countisbury and on the Tarr Steps circular walk.

Some popular walks at Dunkery Beacon, Valley of Rocks, Wimbleball and Haddon Hill and Porlock Marsh are still open and Tarr Steps east bank walk is currently open as far as Hinds Pitt Bridge.