Plans for a new £5 million bike trail in Exeter backed by councillors

The trail will connect Mid Devon, Exeter and East Devon.

The Clyst Valley Trail is set to form the backbone of and will be the vital first component of the Clyst Valley Regional Park.

The trail will be a 13 km (8 mile) commuting and recreational trail for walkers, cyclists, mobility scooters and where feasible, horse riders and links the Exe Estuary trail with Killerton House and Park, with future potential to reach Ashclyst Forest and the Exe Valley Way.

East Devon District Council’s Strategic Planning Committee last week voted to endorse the Clyst Valley Trail Delivery Plan.

Simon Bates, Green Infrastructure Project Manager for the Exeter and East Devon Growth Point, said: "Now the next step is for us to start implementing it. We will be putting in an expression of interest to the Rural Development Agency as we think we can deliver a case for the funding for Estuary Link section that will run from Clyst St Mary to the Estuary Trail at Dart’s Farm

“We think that we can make the case for the benefits for the community as there are people who are really affected at the moment and have difficulty trying to get across the busy A376 road and down to Topsham and the railway station, to the Exe Estuary Trail and to Dart’s Farm.

“There has been a lot of public support for this, and from the businesses that will benefit from it, and we have had a helpful response of many of the landowners in the area.

“We can know that we can say that there is a timeframe for development of the next three to four years around this section as this has been approved.”

The trail can be broken down into four separate sections

Section 1 – Poltimore Path – runs from Broadclyst to West Clyst, via Poltimore House. The 2.3 km new path comprises the restoration of carriage drive to Poltimore House and upgrading a footpath to restricted bridleway, and does include crossing of busy B3181. It is estimated to cost £2.7 million and would be used for leisure and educational journeys from new housing and schools at Pinhoe and would see increased visitor numbers to Poltimore House.

Section 2 – Mosshyane Lane – links Pinhoe to the Skypark. It offers a cycle travel time from Pinhoe to Skypark of 14 minutes and would be a 3.5 km lane. It would cost £460,000 and offers commuter journeys linking housing at Pinhoe to employment sites at Skypark, Science Park and beyond, as well as school journeys from new Mosshayne/Tithebarn Green housing to Clyst Vale Secondary School, and would ease congestion and reduce air pollution around Pinhoe.

Section 3 – Sowton Stretch – links Clyst Honiton to Clyst St Mary, via the Sowton Valley, Bishop’s Court and Westpoint. This is a 3.2 km trail including restoration of old carriage drive and use of quiet lanes, and includes new crossing of busy highway. It would cost £900,000 and the route would provide a walking and cycling route for commuters at Westpoint, where there is a Park and Change facility, providing access to Science Park and the Met Office and would see commuter journeys linking housing at Clyst St Mary to employment site at Science Park.

Section 4 – Estuary Link – runs from Clyst St Mary to the Estuary Trail at Dart’s Farm. It cost £900,000 and would benefit commuters from Clyst St George travelling to Topsham Station and onwards to Exeter.

The report says that a variety of funding is going to be needed to deliver this scheme but a bid for £1million of CIL funding to support the delivery of the Clyst Valley Trail will be made as part of the next bidding round for CIL funds.