Tag Archives: tourists

Buses

Buses

Posted on by • Posted in history, Over to you • Tagged , , , , , ,

A message – and point of view – from Bob Draper…..

‘Come on Bathonians – Get out your angle grinders & welding torches….!

Having seen someone almost swept off their feet on the lower pavement on the north side of George St. by the front overhang of a tourist bus coming up from Queen Square  I wondered who controls these behemoths of Bath’s narrow streets? 

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One of Bath’s bright coloured tourist buses on its way down Milsom Street.

 Is it the local council or the Traffic Commissioners?

At every corner & junction these gargantuans of the tourist trade have to stop and wait for opposing traffic to clear so that they can swing out on tho opposite side of the road in order to make the corner. there is an irony in the in the winter months that the load factors are often so low a Smart car would be sufficient!

 For the sake of pedestrian safety maybe buses should fitted with some of these:

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Maybe Bath Newseum readers would like to suggest what would be a suitable size of vehicle for Bath’s clogged arteries’?

Bob Draper, Bath.

Bath on the move

Bath on the move

Posted on by • Posted in Breaking news....... • Tagged , , , , ,

Commuters and visitors to Bath are being encouraged to beat the rail works and make the most of the World Heritage City with a range of travel options this summer.

The Great Western line through Sydney Gardens.

The Great Western line through Sydney Gardens.

From July 18, Network Rail will start work to improve the rail services in and around Bath, Reading and Wiltshire. The Bath railway corridor is being prepared for electrification and the introduction of new, higher capacity, trains that will improve journeys and benefit local economies.

Bath Spa train station will remain open throughout Network Rail’s programme of works but there will be reduced access to the railway from July 18 to August 31. Network Rail and First Great Western have developed a range of measures to help travellers to get to Bath, with the cooperation of Bath & North East Somerset Council – from a fleet of replacement coaches to reshaping the timetable. These have been funded by Network Rail.

Bath remains fully open for business and pleasure – and Bath & North East Somerset Council has taken a number of actions to help people get into Bath easily. These include:

· Increasing Park and Ride capacity at Lansdown
· Signing diversionary routes to the Lansdown and Odd Down park and ride sites
· Creating a temporary inbound bus lane on London Road
· Embargoing all non-emergency road works for the period
· Additional parking and bus lane enforcement – to keep Bath moving.

Cllr Anthony Clarke (Conservative, Lansdown) Cabinet Member for Lansdown, said: “We’re keen to ensure that everyone is able to get around in Bath and make the most of what our beautiful World Heritage City has to offer. Our CCTV control room will be monitoring the areas around Bath Spa train station and the bus station and the routes in and out of Bath. This will enable us to support the train station with managing people coming and going; guide the bus drivers to take the coaches and buses along the least busy routes and update our variable messaging signs to advise motorists of the best routes to take.”

Visitors to Bath are also reminded that the torchlit Roman Baths will remain open to 10pm (last entry 9pm) right throughout July and August; with additional later opening times at the Fashion Museum and Victoria Art Gallery on Thursdays 6, 13, 20 and 27 August; until 7pm.

The Great Bath - part of the Roman bathing complex built around the thermal waters.

The Great Bath – part of the Roman bathing complex built around the thermal waters.

There are two phases of Network Rail’s electrification work: Phase 1 (July 18 – 31) when services between Bath Spa and Chippenham will be diverted, and Phase 2 (August 1 – 31) when the lines between both Bath and Chippenham and Bath and Trowbridge will be closed.
Rail replacement buses will be operating east of Bath. These will be direct express coaches running from train stations directly in to Bath Spa.

During Phase 1: First Bus will continue to operate services between Station Hill in Chippenham and Bath’s Grand Parade and Westbury Railway station and Bath Spa. To plan your journey visit http://www.firstgroup.com.

During Phase 2: The quickest way to get into Bath will be by bus. First Great Western will be running dedicated bus services for all passengers east of Bath to Bath Spa. Detailed timetables are available from Avoncliff, Bradford-on-Avon, Chippenham, Freshford, Frome and Trowbridge stations.

For more details, please visit http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/bath2015.

For regular bus services, check out Traveline at http://www.travelinesw.com.

Or if you’re planning to drive, please use the Park and Ride!

Sydney Gardens – dumping grounds!

Sydney Gardens – dumping grounds!

Posted on by • Posted in Heritage & History • Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
The pavement alongside Sydney Gardens.

The pavement alongside Sydney Gardens.

Here’s a picture showing you a pavement view of  Sydney Place leading up to Sydney Road and alongside Bath‘s Sydney Gardens. Just recently a lot of laurel bushes immediately behind the low stone wall separating park from pavement have been cut back.

It has let more light in but also fully exposed the carpet of bottles and bags that is being dumped by those who obviously think it is ok to throw their empties and unwanted baggage wherever they please.

Here's what is on the other side of the wall!

Here’s what is on the other side of the wall!

Not quite sure who has the job of clearing this. Is it the park keepers who must wade through the bushes or should the road sweepers lean over the wall and pick it up?

And more!

And more!

While the rubbish should not have been put there in the first place is beyond question but clearing it as soon as possible might also prevent others thinking it’s a communal dump.

And more!!

And more!!

While we are on the subject of rubbish – why in the world are people not being discouraged from putting refuse out for collection the night before the collectors arrive.

All over this city – every morning – you will find plenty of visible and very nasty evidence of bags being ripped open by badgers, foxes or gulls in search of the food they can smell. You cannot expect B&NES workers to go chasing your cans, pizza remains and disposable nappies up and down every street in Bath and district.

It cannot be that difficult to put  bags of rubbish and recyclable out first thing in the morning before you start your day – happy in the knowledge that you DO care about your city!