Plant an idea?

Richard Wyatt,

Suggestions are starting to come in regarding finding a use for some of the metal planters lining the city end of the London Road.  They were introduced – at great expense –  a few years ago as part of a regeneration scheme to green this ‘gateway’ to Bath.

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A row of treeless planters.

Seems they are being taken away because they block visibility for drivers coming out of side roads. Something that was pointed out to B&NES in an independent safety audit carried out three years ago!

While the Council has asked its officers to come up with some clever ideas to re-cycle these £5,000 a piece, artistically-produced, self-rusting, generous plant pots – one Bath Newseum follower thought some of them might make edible troughs. Plant them up with vegetables!

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The ‘unofficial’ Walcot garden.

Maybe they could be given to the Walcot Road volunteers who turned a bit of wasteland alongside the sadly derelict Corn Market into a garden.

While we’re talking about blocked sight-lines. Troughs are nothing compared to the dangers we face in our road. At the top is a busy crossroads blocked by cars being allowed to park right up to the corner.

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The blind corner we have to face at​ the top end of our street. Often cars are parked right up to the edge. We are still waiting for B&NES to do something. We are a popular last-minute​-Chelsea-tractor-rush-to-school rat run. The Gloucester Road above us is a ha ha ha 20mph road.

Any further suggestions for the planters are very welcome.

 

Published by Richard Wyatt

Freelance Journalist, broadcaster, columnist and local historian. Director of Bath Newseum. Married and lives in Bath. Interested in local history, architecture and visual display in museums and urban spaces.

1 Comment

  1. What upset me the most about this, was that the Council just saw them off at the roots, they could have been offered to the general public for someone’s garden as they are lovely trees!

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