Commute by water?

How about commuting by water bus? River Avon pleasure boat businesses are being asked if they would consider running a passenger service from Bath’s Parade Gardens.

Bath & North East Somerset Council is making initial inquiries about the idea as a ‘toe-in-the- water’ to see if any boating business would want to tender for the chance to run a service from a Parade Gardens mooring.

This is the year work will start on restoring the historic Cleveland Pools too. Which could well be a destination point for a new service – if they could dock at the other side for trips up river too.

If the idea attracts interest from businesses then the council will look to set up a tendering process for a service from the council-run park.

There are already moorings along the side of the river where it meets Parade Gardens and any boat on the water would need a licence with the Canal and River Trust to operate with boats carrying 12 or more passengers having to meet Marine Law regulations.

Councillor Bob Goodman, cabinet member for Development and Neighbourhoods, said: “The advert is a toe-in-the-water test to see what, if any, interest is out there from pleasure craft owners before we go any further down the tendering route. We have made initial inquiries with the Canal and River Trust as well as the Environment Agency and now we are just floating the idea to see if there is an appetite for a boating business from a mooring in Parade Gardens.”

A request seeking interest in the idea has gone out through www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk    to test the market.

Bath & North East Somerset Council runs all procurement activities using an electronic tendering portal. Once registered businesses will be alerted to relevant opportunities and can submit tender and quotation responses on-line.  For further details and free registration please visit www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk