Tag Archives: Larkhall

Let’s talk Bath transport!

Let’s talk Bath transport!

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Bath’s MP Wera Hobhouse will be in Larkhall in March – attending an open meeting where you can have your say about transport in Bath.

It’s being organised by Transition Larkhall on March 3rd at the New Oriel Hall, in Larkhall,  from 9.30 am to 2pm.
Poster for TL Travel Meeting
Joanna Wright tells Bath Newseum that the meeting is all about “thinking differently about travel in and around Bath. We want peoples’ ideas about transport in Bath.

Wera Hobhouse MP – and other political and campaign groups – will be present to
join the discussion about the future of travel in and around the city.

A professional facilitator will lead the discussion, focused on the idea of
thinking differently about travel in and around Bath.
We’ll be asking who is moving around and why are they moving that way. How do you travel, and how would you like to travel, around Bath? Let’s help create a transport vision for Bath.”

The event is free and open to all members of the public.  ‘Booking is
essential , says Joanna, as numbers of places are limited. Please RSVP* if you would like
to attend.’

Please send your details to Joanna Wright at
jojowright@postmaster.co.uk or to transitionlarkhall@gmail.com

*ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY YOUNG AND OLD WELCOME*

Bus stopped!

Bus stopped!

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How money seems to be wasted. This was the first bus stop along St Saviours Road in Larkhall where you could get on or off – after turning in from the London Road.

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The first stopping point – off the London Road – in Larkhall’s St Saviour’s Road.

A year or so ago it was included in a scheme to improve such stopping points with a new pedestrian ‘island’ created so people could get on and off the bus in safety.

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This notice must have been put up soon after the bus stop improvements were carried out. 

Now the local services have been ‘revised’ buses don’t stop there anymore so the road markings will, no doubt, be joining Bath’s other ‘ghost’ signs and fade into expensive history?

Apparently, l am told, the stops were upgraded with government funding for the Greater Bristol and Bath network initiative  at no expense to B&NES.
Please scroll down for comments received from Bath Newseum followers.

Larkhall Playground mystery solved!

Larkhall Playground mystery solved!

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I’m about to solve a little mystery that has been puzzling parents in Bath’s Larkhall district.

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The little enclosed play area by Spa Lane

People have been wondering why the two swings – in the little enclosed play area at one end of St Saviours Road – have been coiled up and locked over the supporting swing bar.

A quick Bath Newseum call to one of the area’s councillors, Rob Appleyard, and he’s on the case.

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The two swings have been coiled and padlocked.

Cllr Appleyard – who is also the city’s Deputy Mayor – asked the Council’s Parks Manager Jane Robson if this was vandalism or some sort of preparation for a planned refurbishment which had been discussed last year.

Ms Robson told him that ‘the new swings were badly chewed just before Christmas by someone training their dog.

We locked them up for a couple of weeks in order that the dog owner would lose interest in this site.   I can get the swings unlocked again this week and we’ll see if they are left alone.’

I can solve another ‘mystery’ while we are at it. That promised refurb £24,000 refurb fell victim to Council cuts. Instead they put down new bark and covered the rust with new paint.

Would a walk to school zone ease the jams?

Would a walk to school zone ease the jams?

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A 500 metre wide zone around local schools – in which children are persuaded to walk or cycle to school – is just one idea being put forward to ease the traffic effect caused by so many vehicles transporting youngsters to both state and private Bath schools in the east of the city.

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London Road traffic

 

Transition Larkhall are involved in a a year-long study investigating – amongst other things – how parents take their children to school and why they choose to travel that way.

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Deadmill Lane is one of the roads surveyed.

 In conjunction with the University of Bath and the South West Foundation, this local community body – part of a world-wide transition movement which is working towards a post-oil economy –  surveyed traffic on 4 successive Mondays between 7.00am and 10.00am, at the Gloucester/London Road junction and on Dead Mill lane.

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Transition Larkhall have held two local meetings to explain to the community the results of the survey.

The Study Coordinator – Joanna Wright – told Bath Newseum what they had discovered.

You can read a full report of the survey as it was presented to the West of England Joint Transport Study Consultation via http://transitionlarkhall.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/West-of-England-Transport-Consultation.pdf

There’s more information – via Transition Bath – on http://transitionbath.org/transition-larkhall-analysis-show-50-baths-rush-hour-traffic-can-attributed-schools/

 

A fairer share of Bath buses?

A fairer share of Bath buses?

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Getting around inner city Bath has not been easy of late with traffic greatly affected by the resurfacing work in North Road.

This vital arterial route reopens early on Friday morning – October 28th – and one hopes things might ease.

However, there is no way we can kid ourselves that this town can cope for much longer with the volume of commercial and private traffic it is being asked to accommodate.

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Bus after bus caught in today’s jams.

While millions are soon to be wasted on another park and ride  – which will take a few cars  off the London Road –  it doesn’t deal with the biggest need.

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Wouldn’t take many of these to bring our city to a standstill.

Historic Bath is crying out for a relief road – a proper by-pass – and some effective traffic management.

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Coaches and buses caught up on North Parade.

I couldn’t believe how many huge buses were caught up in today’s jams.

It was a regular convoy of one passenger-carrying vehicle after another. Many of them part of the subsidised service which ships students in and out of the city. Both of our universities have been built out of town.

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More jams in West Street.

And while our under graduates get a regular flow of transport to and from academia – the residents of Larkhall district fight to retain their more modest connection with town.

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There is a public meeting tonight – October 26th – at St Saviours Infant School – attended by  James Freeman who is Managing Director of First Bus, and  Cllr Anthony Clark who is B&NES Cabinet member for  transport.

 

Good news for rusting Larkhall play area

Good news for rusting Larkhall play area

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At last some good news regarding a pile of rusting  childrens’ play equipment in Larkhall that is sadly in need of replacement – something Bath Newseum raised a couple of years ago!

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B&NES are inviting people to express their thoughts on designs drawn up for what should replace it.

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The date given is Saturday, September 17th – between 2 and 4 pm – at the St Saviours Road play area in Larkhall.

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Apparently they will also take suggestions for ways to upgrade Alice Park as well!

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At this rate – they ( not the Parks Department of course)  might also get around to sorting out the dangerous traffic flow on nearby Ferndale Road!!

Smoothing the way through Larkhall.

Smoothing the way through Larkhall.

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What a difference a new road surface makes!

Here’s the main road – St Saviour’s – into the ‘village’ of Larkhall – after its recent tarmac renovation.

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So smooth.

Before and after.

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The former surface of St Saviour’s Road into Larkhall, Bath.

Drop the East of Bath park and ride scheme and you would have enough cash to re-do all the roads of Bath!

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Wow!

What do others think?