Lib Dem Councillors Update May 2026

Lib Dem councillors update: May 2026

The past month has brought major developments for Weston and North Somerset, from the future of regional devolution and the Portishead railway line to further progress at Birnbeck Pier, Marine Lake, the Tropicana and active travel routes across the area.

Key highlights

• Councillors will meet on Tuesday 12 May to decide whether North Somerset should proceed with joining the West of England Combined Authority. This is a big decision, and it must be judged on whether it gives North Somerset a stronger voice, more investment and better transport, not just another layer of government.
• The Portishead Line has taken a huge step forward, with £200m of contracts signed to build two new stations, relay three miles of track and restore passenger services to Portishead and Pill for the first time since 1964.
• Weston’s seafront regeneration continues, with new operators for Marine Lake, further Birnbeck Pier funding, new wayfinding in the town centre and Live Nation named as the preferred operator for the Tropicana, subject to council approval.
• Transport improvements are also moving ahead, including a new transport hub in Pill, a funding boost for Pier to Pier Way, evidence that the Long Ashton bus lane is improving reliability, and planned upgrades at Rownham Hill.
• There has been welcome action on public health and community safety, including warnings after illegal vape seizures, Royal Assent for the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026, and support for walking, cycling and healthier local communities.

Delivering for Weston

• Birnbeck Pier remains one of Weston’s most important heritage projects. The extra £62,120 from the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund will support conservation of the Grade II listed entrance gates and turnstiles, and further work on the Toll House and “shell shop”. After so many years of decline, every visible step forward matters, but the priority must remain clear: restoring the pier properly and bringing local people with the project.
• It is also very welcome that local students are now gaining hands-on experience through the Birnbeck restoration. Two Weston College T-Level students have secured placements with contractors working on the site, and students will benefit from guided technical walks and learning from construction professionals. This is exactly the kind of practical link between regeneration and opportunity that Weston needs more of.
• The partnership with A1 Camera Club is a lovely example of community involvement in a major heritage project. Twelve local photographers have been authorised to document the restoration from behind the scenes, creating a record that should be valuable both now and for future generations.
• Marine Lake is set to gain three new operators: Perret Neads Coffee Hut, You Can Sauna and Snappy SUPs. That mix of food and drink, wellbeing and safe water activity should help make the lake a more active and welcoming place, provided the council keeps listening to regular users and local businesses as improvement works finish.
• The town centre wayfinding project is now complete, with new signage, mapping and trails linking the High Street, seafront, Grove Park, Birnbeck and the Tropicana. These may sound like small changes, but they matter if we want people to explore more of Weston, support local businesses and move confidently between the town’s key destinations.
• The Tropicana proposals could be transformational. The council says Live Nation is the preferred operator for a 25-year lease, with the refurbished venue expected to reopen in 2028 and accommodate audiences of up to around 10,000, subject to planning agreement and council approval. This could bring major cultural and economic benefits, but local residents will rightly expect proper scrutiny, strong community benefit and careful management of traffic, noise and seafront impact.

Transport, jobs and skills

• The Portishead Line announcement is a major milestone. The council says construction is now under way, with opening expected in winter 2028/29. Once open, journey times to Bristol Temple Meads are expected to be around 25 minutes from Portishead and 20 minutes from Pill. This is the kind of long-term infrastructure North Somerset has needed for decades.
• The proposed WECA decision is also central to North Somerset’s transport future. The council says joining could bring greater devolved powers, more influence over regional transport, housing and economic priorities, and opportunities for extra funding and investment. Liberal Democrats will judge this by whether it delivers practical benefits for residents, especially better buses, rail links, skills and sustainable growth.
• In Pill, the new transport hub and upgraded public space will open on Saturday 16 May. The works include a new bus shelter, larger precinct shelter with seating, lighting and a living roof, real-time bus information, new paving, planting, seating and an improved pedestrian crossing. This is a good example of transport investment also improving the public realm.
• On the Long Ashton Bypass, the council’s monitoring report says the bus priority scheme has delivered faster and more reliable journeys, better punctuality and rising satisfaction, with a 75 per cent increase in passenger journeys since the scheme was introduced. That is strong evidence that good bus priority can make public transport more attractive when it is properly planned and funded.
• The Pier to Pier Way is also going from strength to strength. The route recorded around 100,000 trips in its first year, double the original target, and this has now risen to 125,000 trips within 18 months. New National Highways funding will support volunteer ride leaders, free adult cycle training, guided health walks, Dr Bike sessions and e-bike trials.
• Weston College being named a Technical Excellence College for Advanced Manufacturing is another positive step. The recognition links local education to high-value industries, and the planned £2.6m Aerospace Skills Academy at Filton should help widen access to advanced manufacturing careers. The challenge now is making sure young people across North Somerset can genuinely benefit from those opportunities.

Safer, healthier and greener communities

• The council’s warning on illegal vapes is serious. Trading Standards has seized more than 3,600 illegal vapes, 4,700 packets of illegal cigarettes, over 67kg of hand-rolling tobacco and more than 100 sachets of shisha tobacco over the past three years. Parents, landlords and retailers all have a role to play, but enforcement must remain firm and visible.
• The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 receiving Royal Assent is a major public health moment. The Act introduces a generational ban on tobacco sales to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009, new powers for smoke-free places, a UK-wide ban on vape advertising and sponsorship, and a licensing scheme for retailers of tobacco and nicotine products.
• The North Somerset Walk Fest is a simple but important reminder that health policy is not only about hospitals and treatment. Free, accessible, sociable walking opportunities can make a real difference to physical and mental wellbeing, especially when residents can find support through libraries, local groups and trained volunteer leaders.
• The updated planning guidance for the North Somerset and Mendip Bats Special Area of Conservation strengthens requirements around protected bat species, including larger consultation zones, updated roost information, improved habitat evaluation and stronger lighting requirements. Development must be sustainable, and that means protecting nature as well as building homes and infrastructure.
• The school bat conservation project is a great example of children, scientists and communities working together. Schools receive educational talks and bat boxes, while volunteers can take part in surveys from May to October to help gather data on local bat populations.

And as always, Liberal Democrat councillors will keep making the case for a North Somerset that is safer, greener, fairer, better connected, and where Weston gets the investment, attention and delivery it deserves.