Bath, April 26th.

Bath doesn’t rate very well in the litter stakes with our streets way down the list for cleanliness – often covered in cigarette stubs, urban gull droppings – and whatever the birds have managed to drag our of refuse sacks that have not been properly encased in a peck-proof collection bag.

At the same time, the new litter patrol persons are getting stick for travelling around in pairs and ‘intimidating’ the poor citizens of Bath.

I was told they are waiting for radio equipment and when that is to hand will be switching to solo patrols.

They apparently use ‘discretion’ when it comes to who IS an offender but – if it’s wilfully dropped on the pavement and you walk away – you’d better get that credit card ready.

Meanwhile – while l was photographing the work on the bandstand in Parade Gardens – there’s a story elsewhere about the unique new balustrade – l came across one of the stone urns – decorating the surrounding stone wall – being used as a bin.

Maybe some of those litter fines could be paid off with equipping the offender with a rubbish sack and a litter stick pick-up tool for a couple of hours labour.

Quite apt l suppose that l run into a Sky satellite camera set-up preparing to interview one of the Green Party candidates for the South West!

Off through Sydney Gardens and l despair of the shrubs now thriving in the stones lining Brunel’s great retaining wall on one side of the Great Western rail line through the park.

The government put Network Rail’s electrification of this line between London and Bristol on hold to divert resources elsewhere.

They are prepared to waste millions and millions on the unnecessary new HS2 line to the North of England but will not finish the business on the existing network.

The route through the gardens would have been done by now and the retaining wall renovated.

The longer shrub roots are left to take hold the greater the danger of stone falling and the cost of repairing the wall will continue to mount.

Travelling back home along the Kennet and Avon canal towpath l see those long-blighted terraced houses on Hampton Row have finally acquired new tiled roofs. Here’s hoping they are back in service soon as occupied homes!

Of course, behind the terrace, is the former Georgian open-air lido now known as Cleveland Pools.

This is a year of planning before work starts on getting this long-forgotten facility back in action but in the meanwhile, there’s some work going on nearby that may help with footfall once the heritage site reopens.

As you cycle out of Bath along the towpath – and look across the canal – you get a glimpse of the construction work underway on the old MOD Warminster Road site now re-named Holburne Park.

They are running a stormwater drainage pipe down and along their side of the canal and – as l understand it – on top will be a pathway leading down towards a nearby bridge across the canal.

This will open up a good access point for all the new residents – and the established homes on that side of the hill – to walk over and then cross the railway bridge to access the Cleveland Pools.

As l leave the towpath l pass Nat Cross’s urban farm. There is a story about this enterprising young man elsewhere on the site – but l see he is planning farm tours this coming weekend.

Let’s hope the weather is not as bad as forecast as l am also in town welcoming people to the first Nelson Tour of Bath which leaves from BRLSI in Queen Square around 11am.