Stop Line Way cycling route to be completed with £600,000 funding boost

A walking and cycling route between Seaton and Colyford will be completed over the next two years thanks to a cash injection of £600,000.

Devon County Council has approved funding for the Stop Line Way, as part of its Transport Capital Programme for 2020/21 and 2021/22.

The programme includes schemes across the county, coming to a total cost of £95.192million over the next two years, of which £90.91million has come from external sources, including grants and developer contributions.

The budget includes almost £4.5million for transports improvements in Market & Coastal Towns, including the completion of the Stop Line Way walking and cycling route between Seaton and Colyford, as well as a trail between Sidmouth and Sidbury and a pedestrian crossing outside St Mary's Primary School in Axminster.

A report on the Transport Capital Programme considered by county councillors said: "The programme continues to support economic development and the delivery of new housing and jobs. We are currently working to adopted Local Plan land use plans and we continue to maximise government fudning opportunities for vital inward infrastructure investment into Devon.

"Devon County Council declared a climate emergency in May 2019. Research has indicated that 27 per cent of all carbon emissions in Devon is generated by on-road transportation. The Transport Capital Programme aims to balance the delivery of infrastructure so that it has a positive effect on reducing carbon emissions.

"Promoting walking and cycling remains a core objective of the Local Transport Plan to help deliver more sustainable development in the market town areas and for supporting the public health agenda, climate emergency and local economy.

"The proposed Market and Coastal Towns and Rural Devon programme is heavily focussed on schemes that directly support walking and cycling in the main market towns for developing and delivering the council council's multi-use trails network."

The Seaton to Colyford section of the Stop Line Way forms part of the Sustrans National Cycle Network, which is being developed in sections across the country. Trafalgar Way in Axminster opened in 2009; Aldercar under the A35 into Kilmington in 2011; and Cloakham in Axminster to Weycroft in 2012.

The Seaton to Colyford section first opened in 2015 and this latest round of funding will help complete the route.

The Stop Line Way route of the trail closely follows and is named after the Second World War defences built following the evacuation of Allies from Dunkirk, as the Devon and Cornwall coast was considered too long to defend. Many of the concrete pillboxes and anti-tank gun emplacements remain along the line and can be seen from parts of the cycling and walking route.