Residents’ legal action halts introduction of Bath’s latest traffic trials

Plans to install three more through-traffic restriction trials in Bath have been paused after residents sought an injunction against the council.

Work to install the trials in the Lower Lansdown area as part of Bath & North East Somerset Council’s ‘Liveable Neighbourhoods’ programme had been due to start on Monday, 5th August.

The council has been planning to run the linked trials in Gay Street, Catharine Place and Winifred’s Lane for a minimum of six months under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order to create safer routes for cyclists and pedestrians.

Drivers often use the trial streets to avoid the main roads linking the south of Bath to the A46, A420 and M4.

However, last night the council issued a press release saying that the scheme had been paused pending legal proceedings following an application for an injunction brought by a group of local residents.

At a virtual hearing on 1st August, His Honour Judge Keyser KC at the High Court ordered that the operation of the Lower Lansdown ETRO be suspended until a court hearing on Thursday 8th August.

At that hearing, a judge will either lift the suspension or decide if the suspension continues, pending a judicial review hearing.

Councillor Manda Rigby, Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “Our immediate priority is to make people aware that the scheme is paused until the outcome of next week’s hearing.

“We will be writing to let residents know and encourage people to check our Liveable Neighbourhoods webpage for updates.”

The council says that planned highways work to improve traffic signal operation in George Street, involving the installation of a new above-ground detector will continue on Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th August.

As a result, on Tuesday and Wednesday there will be no vehicle access (at all) into the upper stretch of Gay Street from its junction with George Street. Advisers will be on hand to help with vehicle access for Blue Badge holders.

On those two days the council will also temporarily suspend all parking on Gay Street.

The council says the road closure will be lifted as soon as is reasonably practicable on completion of the works.

Two other Liveable Neighbourhood trials are currently running in the city. There is the through-traffic restriction across Sydney Road at is junction with New Sydney Place, and a one-way system for motorists along Charmouth Road, Lyme Road and Lyme Gardens in Newbridge.

Three other trials instigated by the council – at Southlands in Weston Village, Church Road in Widcombe, and Queen Charlton Lane between Whitchurch Village and Queen Charlton – have already been made permanent.