Somerset councillors have been told it is vital that money is found to reroute a strategic coastal route at Watchet, closed because of a collapsing cliff face.

Bridgwater and West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger says immeasurable economic damage will be inflicted on the port if the B3191 remains out of service for any length of time.

The clifftop road has been closed since January when engineers detected significant movement beneath it and on Friday Somerset County Council announced it would remain shut ‘indefinitely’.

But Mr Liddell-Grainger said identifying and building a new inland route had to be treated as a priority.

He said South Somerset council - due to disappear with Somerset’s four other district authorities at the end of March - had lumbered the new unitary with tens of millions of pounds spending on two projects in Yeovil, one of them a £29 million upgrade for the Octagon Theatre.

“I have no doubt most of Yeovil is in dire need of upgrading but this is a vanity project which could easily be put on hold,” he said.

Cleeve Hill at Watchet
Cleeve Hill at Watchet (Paul Scullion)

“Here we have a strategic route linking Watchet with Blue Anchor. Not only does it provide access to the shops in Watchet for thousands of visitors staying in the local caravan parks, it acts as a relief road on those frequent occasions when the A39 is closed by accidents.

“If it is not available then West Somerset is completely isolated.

“This is an instance where the new unitary authority has to get its priorities right. It must ask itself which is more important and urgent - spending £29 million on a clapped-out theatre or £3 million on restoring an essential road link. The answer is obvious.

“I am more than happy to go to Government and beg for the funding but the county council simply cannot announce the road will not re-open and walk away from the problem.”