An 850 metre fence built by the Council along a stretch of the River Avon is now in place to improve safety for people on foot and who use bicycles.
Photo courtesy of @votedave.
The Council joined forces with Bath Spa University who contributed £5,000 to the £140,000 project. The edge protection is on the stretch of the northern public footpath, east of Windsor Bridge.
Councillor David Dixon (Lib-Dem, Oldfield), Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said “The edge protection was a key recommendation in the independent report commissioned by the Council and its partners. It is a vulnerable section of the River Avon so we believe that this initiative will save lives over the long-term. With each recommendation of the report that we carry out, safety along the River Avon is getting better.”
The edge protection follows a number of other initiatives such as painting ladder gaps to make them more visible, raising awareness amongst the student population of the dangers of the river, and improved vegetation management to maintain the width of the path.
Rob Armstrong-Haworth, Executive Officer to the Vice-Chancellor and Student Community Partnership representative at Bath Spa University said: “We were very pleased to contribute to this essential safety fencing along the River Avon. We work with our students to ensure they are aware of the potential dangers of walking along the river path and this new fencing will provide reassurance to our students and their families.”
The independent report was compiled by RoSPA and commissioned by Bath & North East Somerset Council and Avon & Somerset Police.
