The MP for Bath, Ben Howlett, has presented a parliamentary petition in support of the A36/46 link road, with over 2800 signatures, in the House of Commons.
The petition was delivered to every household across Bath and is part of Ben’s ongoing commitment to ‘help Stop Bath Stalling’.
The petition requests that the House of Commons urges the Government to work with Bath and North East Somerset Council and Highways England to bring the long discussed and ‘much needed’ project to fruition.
The A36/46 link road is expected to provide economic benefit to Bath, improve transportation links, reduce congestion and air pollution.
Ben will be welcoming the Rt Hon John Hayes CBE MP, Minister of State for Transport to Bath later in the year to further discuss the project as support grows for the project.
The Minister, who is known to be supportive of adopting beautiful as well as practical solutions to future road development, gave assurances that: “.. the design of any new infrastructure in the environs of historic Bath will be of supreme importance.”
In the House of Commons, Ben said: “I am grateful to be able to present a petition to the House on the construction of an A36-46 link road, east of Bath. I present the petition on behalf of residents of Bath and the wider north-east Somerset area.
“The petition has attracted 2,846 signatures from the concerned residents. I thank all of those who have signed the petition in support of the link road.”
He continued: “This road is long overdue. We need to do as much as possible to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution in our beautiful city. I am also keen at this time of uncertainty to do what I can to improve Bath’s infrastructure to maximise the city’s economic attractiveness.
“At this time two major trunk roads converge in the city centre, which has created problems for decades and I will work tirelessly to alleviate them.
“4th May sees the election of a Mayor for the West of England to cover the Bath, Bristol and South Gloucestershire areas who has control of the infrastructure budget, which at a £1 billion figure could help deliver this project.
“I do hope the people of Bath will engage with the electoral process for this important new post which will impact the future infrastructure across the West of England.”