Walcot councillor Richard Samuel joined members of the London Road and Snow Hill Partnership in doing some weeding beside this busy thoroughfare into Bath.
They were concentrating their efforts on three of the metal planters – installed at great expense at the city end of the road to improve the environment on this most polluted route into town.
Just recently B&NES has sawn off or removed trees originally planted in these artist- inspired receptacles citing safety concerns regarding sight lines for motorists coming out of side roads.
A safety audit from three years ago had mentioned a lack of visibility through the sighting of this self-rusting troughs which allegedly cost five thousand pounds apiece.
The roadside gardeners were doing some weeding and even planted a new tree. Local people want the planters to stay and used with less obstructive flora.
It’s my understanding that – apart from a slight re-positioning of some of them – the planters WILL stay on the London Road.
Cllr Samuel has written to the Cabinet member for Transport and the Environment Mark Shelford asking for confirmation of this.
The letter is reproduced on Cllr Samuel’s website https://walcotnews.mycouncillor.org.uk/2018/05/16/open-letter-to-mark-shelford/#page-content
Cllr Shelford attended a local meeting about the London Road planters and Cllr Samuel says the community is waiting for a reply.
In it he says:
“I would like to see published for public consultation, as soon as possible, your plans for the planters. These have remained neglected now for too long and you need to move to a decision about what to do, which cannot be endlessly delayed.
It is clear that residents would prefer to see the planters moved within London Road if this is necessary and not relocated to a city centre site as you alluded to at the meeting.
Finally, I believe local residents would be prepared to take on maintenance of these planters and would probably do a better job than has been managed so far.
The cost in moving these planters at a time of public expenditure constraint cannot in my view be justified nor can action that degrades London Road in the way that has happened. I am therefore calling on you to halt this pointless exercise and ensure that this important gateway to the city from the east is a credit to the council and residents.”
All photographs courtesy of Cllr Richard Samuel.
