A CYCLEWAY linking Ilminster with Chard needs the help of volunteers to secure its future after funders announced they are pulling out.
Local people who use the Ilminster-Chard Shared Path, also known as the Cycleway or The Stop Line Way, are being asked to help maintain it.
The path was opened in 2008 by the national charity Sustrans, working with South Somerset District Council and the town and parish councils along the five mile route. It forms part of the National Cycle Network Route 33.
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The path is described as a "popular traffic-free leisure and commuting route for walkers, runners and cyclists".
It provides a "peaceful, green corridor that many local residents use" and remains one of the few traffic-free active travel routes in the area.
The path is also a bridleway from Ilminster to Peasmarsh and gives a safe alternative route for cyclists to the dangerous A358, which has 13,500 vehicle movements a day and a 60 mph speed limit.
Volunteers in Donyatt, Somerset Council's rights of way team and the town/parish councils have cut back vegetation and repaired broken items, but the partners who made the path didn't form a body to plan regular maintenance and improvements.
Sustrans are pulling out due to funding cuts and this is an issue because of the "deteriorating state in places of the path surface and poor signage".
Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts, Somerset Council’s lead member for communities, said: “Volunteers are the lifeblood of our communities and achieve amazing things. If anyone can help with this project I hope they come forward to help keep open a much-loved and well-used route.”
The Friends of the Path group are currently looking for users of the path who value it to come forwards and join them.
Inspired by the successful Friends of The Strawberry Line, the group hopes to coordinate maintenance, explore possible funding opportunities for improvements and to run events to highlight the great asset that the path is.
If you are interested and would like to know more then contact Matt Day on 07714 648913 or mattdaysomerset@gmail.com.
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