The next phase of the Teign Estuary Trail is set to take a step forward thanks to a combined investment of £1.45m.
The funding will go towards the design and land purchase for the three-kilometre section of the trail between the Passage House Inn at Kingsteignton, and Bishopsteignton. Devon County Council is providing £900,000 of the funding, with Teignbridge District Council providing £550,000.
The scheme will connect the two communities with a route along the estuary, avoiding the busy A381.
The trail will run over open land parallel to the Teign Estuary and north of the railway. The route will include raised boardwalks to cross water courses leading to the estuary, and one subway to navigate existing infrastructure.
Both councils previously worked together on the project committing £200,000 each to submit a planning application for this section of the trail (as well as onto Broadmeadow junction on the edge of Teignmouth) which was approved in 2021.
Design work is already under way, and in the coming years land inspections and surveys will be carried out. However, the construction work will require external funding.
Councillor Stuart Hughes, cabinet member with responsibility for cycling, said: “There is strong support for the Teign Estuary Trail and I’m sure everyone will be encouraged that Devon and Teignbridge are providing this funding to enable progress on the design and land purchase to connect from the Passage House Inn to Bishopsteignton. Our teams will be working hard to get this next section shovel ready but significant external funding will be needed to deliver this and the other remaining sections of the trail.”
Councillor Ron Peart, county councillor for Kingsteignton and Teign Estuary, said: “I welcome Devon County providing £900,000 of funding with Teignbridge District Council providing £550,000. This funding will enable progress on design and land purchase. A significant amount funding will still be needed but this is a step in the right direction.”
Teignbridge councillor Gary Taylor, executive member for Planning, said: “We are really pleased to see good progress being made, with the successful partnership working between Devon County Council, Teignbridge District Council, local Town & Parish Councils including Bishopsteignton who chair regular Teign Estuary Trail meetings, and the Save the Teign Estuary Trail Campaign Group. This has enabled the milestone of the planning approval to be reached in 2021 and the strong business case to be completed this year. We look forward to being a part of continuing to progress this vital project.”
The Teign Estuary Trail is a priority route in the consultation draft Devon Countywide Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.
A public consultation in 2020 on route proposals between Newton Abbot and Kingsteignton and Teignmouth revealed overwhelming support for the trail to be delivered and stakeholder meetings about the trail are held three or four times a year to keep people up to date on progress.
The first section of the Teign Estuary Trail, a 1.2 km section between Town Quay in Newton Abbot and the centre of Kingsteignton, opened in March 2013. A link from this section to the Passage House Inn opened in April 2018.
Other future sections include a three-kilometre route from Bishopsteignton to Teignmouth and a further 3.3km of the trail linking Teignmouth to Dawlish.
