Work on the next phase of the Bath Quays Waterside project will begin on January 20, 2016.
The £6.22m project, a collaboration between Bath & North East Somerset Council and the Environment Agency, will take place over the next two years. It will reduce flood risk for over 100 existing properties, reconnect the city centre to the riverside with a new waterside park, and allow the development of Bath Quays, a new home for businesses in the city.
Highway works will be carried out by contractor Alun Griffiths Ltd and will change the existing one-way system around Avon Street car park into a two-way system, with a new road link through Riverside coach park. Once completed traffic will be diverted from Green Park Road, allowing the widening of the river bank which will improve the River Avon’s ability to convey flood water, and establish a new riverside public open space.
Work will start at the coach park on January 20, to be followed by Avon Street, Green Park Road, Corn Street and Ambury, as well as Avon Street car park which will have a new exit constructed onto Ambury.
No road closures will be necessary during daytime hours but some lane closures will be required. Riverside Coach Park and Avon St car park will remain open throughout, although the coach park will operate as a short-term parking facility only, with long-term coach parking relocated to the First Bus depot at Weston Island.
The Council anticipates that this work will be completed before the Summer, enabling traffic to be permanently diverted from Green Park Road onto the new two-way system. Some delays in this area are possible during peak times, and we thank the public for their patience while these important works are carried out.
Councillor Patrick Anketell-Jones (Conservative, Lansdown), Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said: “This work will ultimately lead to the development of new space for home-grown and growing businesses. It is an important next phase in our work to secure the city for future generations, and will help us to meet one of our priorities of creating more homes and high-value jobs.”
At the same time, the Council will undertake essential highway improvement work from Corn St to St James’s Parade. This will start on February 1 and last for 6 weeks. This will require the right turn lane from Corn St onto St James’s Parade to be closed, with a short diversion via Avon Street and James St West. When this is completed there will need to be three overnight closures to complete the carriageway resurfacing and road markings.
Also starting February, there will be pedestrian/cycle path and landscape improvements on the riverside path between Nelson Villas and in Green Park as part of the Bath Quays Waterside project works. At times pedestrians and cyclists will need to be diverted from the riverside path between Nelson Villas and Green Park, diversions will be signposted as required.
For detailed information about the construction works and its impacts on the public, please refer to the question and answer sheet attached on the project web page at http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/bathquayswaterside. Timescales for further road closures, towpath and river access will be communicated later in 2016.
