Bath & North East Somerset Council is “carefully considering” the findings of two surveys which invited views on a proposed residents’ parking zone (RPZ) in Lambridge, and an extension of the Walcot and Snow Hill zone into the Grosvenor Place area.
Larkhall Square in Bath
Last autumn the council asked residents, visitors and businesses to share their views, and the findings were published on Friday 17th April.
The council says the informal consultations were carried out following requests from residents. Around 2,000 properties in and around the proposed zones were contacted directly.
RPZs are designated areas where on-street parking is controlled and enforced, and where eligible residents and businesses can buy permits to park in the zone.
The aim is to improve the environment and ensure that scarce parking is fairly allocated.
There were 739 responses to the Lambridge RPZ proposal. Of these, 79% were against and 16% in favour.
There was more support for the zone from those living in the proposed zone itself (23%). Concerns included costs of permits, visitor access, the impact of shops and local businesses in Larkhall, and the potential displacement of vehicles onto other streets outside the zone.
The Grosvenor Place area proposal generated 118 responses, with 61% against and 33% in favour. Concerns included permit costs, visitor access, the boundary of the proposed RPZ, and potential displacement of vehicles into other streets.
Those supporting the proposals had concerns about levels of commuter parking and congestion, not being able to find parking near their homes, dangerous/anti-social driving behaviours, and poor air quality.
Councillor Joel Hirst, B&NES Council’s cabinet member for sustainable transport strategy, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who took time to take part in these important surveys. Given the outcomes, we will carefully consider the findings before any further decisions are made.
“Across both areas, residents, businesses and visitors highlighted the importance of maintaining a balanced mix of parking. This includes parking for residents, access for local businesses, and ensuring visitors, carers and trades can continue to use the area without harming local activity.
“We are committed to designing streets that put people first, with safety and accessibility as important considerations. Before any decisions are made, we’ll conduct more detailed analysis.
“This includes additional work to better understand parking pressures and patterns, as requested by the local ward councillors.”
A spokesperson for the Larkhall Traders’ Group told the Echo they were really pleased by the strength of the response from residents, businesses and the wider community.
“At a time when high streets are under pressure from so many directions, it’s genuinely encouraging to see how much people still value Larkhall and want to protect what makes it special.
“This was never about resisting change for the sake of it – it was about making sure any decisions are based on real evidence and genuine local need.
“People want sensible, proportionate solutions, not a one-size-fits-all scheme that risks damaging the very community it’s supposed to support.”
There will be a public meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) at 7pm at St Saviour’s Church in Larkhall, when people will be able to ask council representatives questions.
The traders’ group spokesperson said: “The important thing now is making sure any next steps are genuinely evidence-led and right for Larkhall.”
