Exe Estuary Trail goes solar
Solar lights now illuminate the path of the Exe Estuary Trail between Exmouth and Lympstone thanks to a joint project costing more than £26,000 between Exmouth Town and Lympstone Parish Councils.
The work, funded by East Devon District and Devon County Councils, means that people who use the route can do so safely and stay healthy and fit too. The Trail is popular with cyclists and walkers, both for leisure and for commuting between Exmouth and Exeter, and many of these journeys are made in the dark, particularly in the winter months.
The newly-installed Astucia SolarLite intelligent studs automatically light up from dusk to dawn and increase visibility. The flush profile of the stud ensures that they are unobtrusive to bicycle wheels making them ideal for cycle paths. They have been installed by Clearview Traffic.
The project also includes solar bollard spotlights outside Lympstone Village Hall which will be installed by local company, onthecase.
The £26,454 needed for the work has come from the Parishes Together Fund (PTF), a joint initiative between East Devon District and Devon County Councils where £1.10 per elector in each parish is put into a central pot. Parish and town councils can then apply to the PTF for funding towards community projects. The solar lights project was one of 20 community schemes funded by PTF in 2014 / 2015.
Cllr Tom Wright, East Devon District Councillor and Chairman of the Fund said: I am delighted to see how these two parishes worked together to apply for this innovative project. We have heard nothing but good things about the solar lights along the Exe Estuary Trail so far and I’m looking forward to seeing the ones in Lympstone installed."
Cllr Lynne Elson from Exmouth Town Council put forward the proposal for the solar lighting.
She said: “I am delighted that the scheme has now been completed. It gives everyone the opportunity to use the Exe Estuary Cycle and Walkway for longer which will benefit the economy of both Exmouth and Lympstone. In particular it allows the children and young people to make a safer journey to school."
The closing date for this financial year’s Parishes Together Fund is February 12, 2016. Although applications to the PTF must come from town and parish councils, voluntary and community groups, schools and other organisations can also put their ideas forward to their councils. East Devon District Council’s website – eastdevon.gov.uk – has a full list of town and parish councils with contact details.
To find out more about the Parishes Together Fund including application forms and guidance, visit www.eastdevon.gov.uk/grants-and-funding/parishes-together-fund
