More Liveable Neighbourhood installations are on the way.
Three linked trial traffic restrictions are set to be installed in the Lansdown area of Bath from July as part of Bath & North East Somerset Council’s LV’s programme.
Bath & North East Somerset Council has written to residents and businesses to let them know about the three linked trial traffic restrictions in Gay Street, Catharine Place and Winifred’s Lane which are set to start from 15 July.
The experimental trials will be in place for a minimum of six months under an Experimental Road Traffic Order (ETRO) and their impact will be monitored.
During the trial people are encouraged to share their views, at any point during the six-month trial, in a public consultation. No decision will be made on whether to make the trials permanent until the council has considered all the outcomes.
The trials are the result of community engagement and the decision to go ahead with the trials is explained on the council website at www.bathnes.gov.uk/lansdownetro
Councillor Manda Rigby, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “The trial streets are frequently used by motorists to avoid the main roads linking the A46/M4 to the south of Bath, so the aim is to address speeding and excessive through traffic. We also want to create a safe and pleasant active travel route through the area. I want to reassure residents and businesses that vehicle access to properties will be maintained during the trials, although some drivers may have to use a different route.
“Other trials have shown us that the best method of introducing complex Liveable Neighbourhood schemes is through an ETRO. This is because it gives us time to monitor the impacts of the scheme and for people to respond to the changes before any decision is taken.”
The schemes being trialled are:
- A through-traffic restriction on Catharine Place between Margaret’s Buildings and Rivers Street Mews.
- A through-traffic restriction on Winifred’s Lane preventing motorists (but not pedestrians or cyclists) from using this route as a short cut. This restriction is supplemented by a no-right turn (except cycles) into Sion Hill East from the top of Cavendish Road.
- A no-entry restriction preventing northbound motor vehicles from entering Gay Street from its junction with George Street. Access to this stretch of Gay Street, which remains two-way, will be from The Circus only. On exiting, vehicles can turn and exit via The Circus, or turn left into George Street. Motorists exiting this stretch of Gay Street will not be able to travel straight ahead to Queen Square.
Work on the trials is due to start from July 15 and letters will be sent to residents and businesses near the time to confirm dates.
The council secured £736,000 of funding from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) to implement the trials ahead of delivering the wider Liveable Neighbourhoods programme, the purpose of which is to develop a range of measures to improve streets. The Liveable Neighbourhood programme is a part of the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, secured by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, and funded by UK Government.
More information is available at www.bathnes.gov.uk/lansdownetro.
The Council claims that it will be measuring increase in exhaust gases at the Bathwick Street/Beckford Road and the A36 from Pultney Road junction which has had an increase of traffic since the Sydney Road closure. The fact that the residents of Sydney Road have effectively been granted the benefits of a private road by this experiment also needs examining. I understand that at least one Liberal Democrat councillor lives in this area. Where can we find what the figures were before this “experiment”, how were they obtained and what system is being used to gather the current data? I haven’t noticed any measuring devices at the traffic lights on this junction.
So I’m assuming that the council have deemed this area as a Tourist Only area. I feel sorry for the people that actually live there as the traffic will be backed up Gay Street trying to get out onto an incredibly busy junction on George Street. And of course, the traffic will now be going down Brock Street to try to move along and this will also be backed up. The council have no idea how people live their lives, on a day-to-day basis. And of course, this is not a Trial by any means, it is a given decision. They are hoping that by making it harder to get around Bath that people will stop using their cars. This is not the case as most people know, even those who are all in favour of reducing cars on the roads and more cycling. Not everyone can get around that way, life isn’t like that! Sorry, rant over. I’m so sick of what has happened to this once beautiful city and can’t wait to leave when it is finally possible!