AN appeal has been made after Somerset Council refused to give answers to a Freedom of Information (FoI) question asking for its reasoning behind making permanent the closure of the B3191 Watchet to Blue Anchor road.

Exmoor farmer and political campaigner James Wright lodged an FoI question asking for the release of internal documents behind the closure decision.

Mr Wright, who is chairman of the Conservative South West Rural Forum said the coastal road was a ‘lifeline’ for residents in Watchet, Blue Anchor, Old Cleeve, and surrounding villages.

The council closed the B3191 temporarily in January, 2023, after coastal cliff subsidence at Cleeve Hill which left the road dangerously close to the edge.

The road was later opened for pedestrians and cyclists only to use, but not for motorised vehicles.

With the cost of rerouting the road further inland put at about £36 million it decided instead to make the closure permanent, a decision which it controversially did not release until hours after the result of a by-election in nearby Dunster was known.

More than 1,100 people had signed an open letter of objection to the closure which was co-ordinated by Mr Wright.

Mr Wright said a permanent closure order would remove the council from its legal obligation to seek alternative routes for the B3191 under coastal resilience planning laws.

Now, Mr Wright has used FoI legislation to ask for meeting notes, impact assessments, legal advice, and internal reports used by the council to justify the permanent closure.

But the council rejected the request, saying it was not in the public interest to make such a disclosure and could ‘prejudice the course of justice’ if a legal challenge was made against its decision.

Mr Wright said: “The permanent closure is a major decision that affects the daily lives of hundreds of families and businesses.

“People have a right to know why it was made, and what, if anything, was done to explore other options.

“If Somerset Council is confident it made the right decision, it should be open about how that decision was reached.

“Hiding behind legal exemptions only deepens the sense that this was rushed through behind closed doors.

“This road is not just a bit of tarmac, it is a vital route for visitors, buses, and emergency services.

“If the council is confident in its decision, it should have no issue showing its working.

“Hiding behind legal exemptions only fuels suspicion and frustration.”

Mr Wright has lodged an appeal for a formal internal review of the council’s refusal to answer the FoI question, on the grounds that the public interest outweighed any claimed exemptions.

He has also hand delivered a letter for Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander asking her to try to obtain answers from the Liberal Democrat-run council.

Mr Wright said: “I have gone to the Department for Transport to demand answers.

“If Somerset will not be honest with us, maybe the Minister will.”

The Free Press approached Somerset Council for comment but it did not respond.