WORKERS will benefit from an extension to The Strawberry Line walk, a Somerset employer has said. 

A working group has now formed to help extend the line from Yatton to Clevedon to give more people the chance to enjoy its use. 

Semiconductor manufacturer, Edwards, employs around 800 people in the south west and holds offices in Clevedon, but stressed it's difficult for staff to cycle to work.

To support the community and provide greater options for travel, general manager Neil Mehta has joined an action group working to drive the project forward. 

He said employees already have access to a ‘cycle to work’ scheme but encouraging even more staff to cycle means overcoming wider community issues around public transport connectivity.

The aim is to create a traffic free route from Clevedon to Yatton which can be used by walkers, cyclists, runners and wheelchair users.

A petition has already seen almost 3,000 signatures.

"There is a train station about two miles away at Yatton but there are no public transport links to our site, or nearby from the station," Neil added.

"I would love to see The Strawberry Line extended to allow colleagues to take bikes on the train and then cycle the couple of miles to work without feeling vulnerable cycling on a very busy road."

Cyclist and local resident Sue Cooper is also leading the action group to extend the line and offer safer options to commuters. 

She said: “We see Edwards as a business partner for our community group and it’s really helpful to have a business like this alongside us.

"It helps us demonstrate the financial advantages, the community and staff advantages and also could act as a blueprint for other businesses to come alongside as the project moves forward.”

To sign the petition, visit www.strawberrylinetoclevedon.org.