A TASK force has been created to see what can be done about the loss of passing trade to Watchet businesses following the closure of the Cleeve Hill road due to land movement.

Watchet Town Council has brought together local groups to discuss a community response.

Items discussed at the first meeting included improved signage and a service to transport people from the western side into the town, from which they are now cut off.

There were also calls for increased social media marketing, with the town marketing brand used on leaflets to encourage people to stay and explore what Watchet and the coast have to offer.

In the long term, it was believed Watchet high street would benefit from becoming more pedestrian friendly, while a suggestion to better separate unloading lorries from the main street was also mooted.

A 20mph limit and better separation for cars from people could see the revival of plans to semi-pedestrianise the high street.

Town clerk Sarah Reed said: “When the council heard the concerns of traders at the February council meeting, we knew we needed to act fast.

"Building on the work started by WACET (Watchet Chamber of Trade) we, as the local authority, were able to bring people together to represent significant viewpoints in the town in quick time.”

Task force chairman Cllr Sean Terrett said: “We had a really positive meeting that recognised the road was unlikely to be reopened any time soon and the town needed to come together and work on some projects to ensure that visitors continue to come to Watchet and enjoy having less through traffic to contend with.”

He added that the council has funds available that could be used to improve signage in Watchet to benefit traders and residents.

Meanwhile, Bridgwater and West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger has pledged to support a fresh request for Government funding of up to £28million to realign the B3191 at Cleeve Hill.

The road between Watchet and Blue Anchor, was closed for the foreseeable future after engineers detected movement in the cliffs below.

Mr Liddell-Grainger said: "The evidence of coastal erosion is all too obvious in the Watchet area; that road is only inches from the cliff edge and at some point it is going to disappear. The only question is how soon.

“Clearly the only option is to move the road inland, whatever the cost.”