Roadworks are currently underway to remove Clevedon’s wiggly lines and “yellow brick road” from the seafront.
The controversial changes to The Beach were made in 2022. The council the parking spaces facing out to sea to install a two-way cycle lane, along with the wavy lives and yellow buff — which the RAC described as one of the “most bizarre” road schemes it had seen.
After outcry in the town and an independent review of the scheme, the council committed to spend £425k reversing most of the changes. The roadworks began on February 17 and locals have been told it could take 13 weeks.
Clevedon South councillor Hannah Young (Labour) is the council’s executive member for highways and transport responsible for dealing with the scheme, although she had not yet been elected to the council when the changes were made in 2022. She said: “We’re delighted that the works are getting underway. We’ve listened to local residents and businesses and are delivering on our promises.
“The works are expected to take 13 weeks and we’re re-introducing sea facing parking, removing the two-way cycle path and wavy line, making the current roundabout into a standard mini-roundabout, improving pedestrian crossing points and more.”
She added: “As the works get underway, it will be necessary to close sections of the road on a temporary basis. However, access will be maintained at all times for businesses and residents. There will also be some necessary diversions to the X6 and X7 bus services. Notices will be placed on affected bus stops.”
Local councillor Michael Pryke (Clevedon Walton, Conservative) said: “They should have put it back fully when they had the opportunity. Its a shame that businesses face another 13 weeks of the construction chaos, I think, when the council should not have meddled in the first place.”
Cathy Hawkins of the Save Our Seafront Campaign said that locals had tried to warn the council against implementing the scheme beforehand. She said: “The resulting Mickey Mouse set up has made them a national laughing stock and destroyed the trust of Clevedon residents in our local democratic process.
“We welcome that the seafront is returning some seafront parking — but only two thirds of what it was. It is not, as they claim, being put back to what it was. It is still one way. This causes severe traffic issues when trying to reach Hill Road or residents homes near the seafront.”
She added: “This restructure will take at least 13 weeks to complete. Again putting local business under massive strain, reducing footfall at the peak Easter holidays. Clevedon residents deserve more from our elected representatives who are there to serve us — not their own pet projects. We are angry and deserve better.”
The original changes to the road cost over £1m, as the scheme went massively overbudget. Now the council is facing a £425k price tag for the latest works. Ms Young said: “Like many councils across the country, we’re facing a huge financial challenge. Demand and costs for our services is ever increasing. However, the cost of these changes is being met from a variety of funding streams.”
In order to cover the latest work, the council executive voted in March to redirect £50k which had been intended for repairing the slipway — a project the council said was not at the implementation stage — and another unallocated £21k from the Great Lakes project. Other funding is coming from section 106 money from developers and local transport plan funding. The council is also taking £153k out of its capital and revenue reserves.
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