THE Grand Western Greenway (GWG) group is holding its first public meeting later this month to explain the progress made so far toward creating a traffic-free route between Wellington and Taunton for walkers, wheelers, and cyclists.

Local MP Gideon Amos, who is a keen supporter of the project, will be on the panel alongside GWG founder Charles Biscoe and Somerset Cllr Dave Mansell, also a strong advocate for active travel.

Cycle route expert and founder of Sustrans, John Grimshaw, will add his input and experience.

Mr Biscoe said: “With the recent announcement that Somerset is going to benefit from nearly £10 million of new funding from Active Travel England there has never been a better time to seek to commission and begin work on the greenway.”

Mr Grimshaw, the man behind the Bristol to Bath cycle route, now one of the most heavily used in the UK for work and leisure, and currently overseeing the creation of the Strawberry Line multi-user path in the Mendips, is an expert consultant to the GWG.

One of the key aims of the meeting is to explain the likely route of the greenway and how phase one of the path will tie in with the new Wellington railway station and link Tonedale and north side of the town to this new transport hub.

Taunton Town Council leader Cllr Tom Deakin will also be on the panel to explain how the first stage of the eastern end of the route will connect Silk Mills to its town centre and railway station.

The meeting will be held from 2 pm to 4 pm on Saturday, January 24, in Wellington Scout Hall, in Fore Street, next door to the Co-op supermarket.

More information on the meeting is available by contacting Wellington town Cllr Keith Wheatley on 07710 326698 or by emailing [email protected].