Five more trial traffic restrictions could be introduced in Bath as part of B&NES Council’s ongoing Liveable Neighbourhoods programme.
Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders are being proposed for five locations in the city, as part of the local authority’s “Forward Plan”.
They follow on from a community engagement exercise carried out over the past two years, and, if approved, would see additional restrictions installed from spring 2024.
Bath & North East Somerset Council has secured £736,000 of funding from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (WECA) to implement the trials ahead of delivering the wider Liveable Neighbourhoods programme, the purpose of which is to develop a range of measures to improve residential streets.
The trials were chosen because of their suitability to tackle through traffic and create more opportunities for “community cohesion, walking and cycling”.
Single Member Decision reports seeking permission to trial through-traffic restrictions as Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs) will be put forward for:
- A through-traffic restriction in Catharine Place
- A through traffic restriction in Winifred’s Lane (south of its junction with Somerset Lane) and supplemented by a no-right-turn onto Sion Hill from the northern end of Cavendish Road
- A through-traffic restriction on Sydney Road at its junction with New Sydney Place
- No entry for motorised vehicles into Upper Gay Street from the George Street junction
- Formalisation of a one-way in Charmouth Road, Lyme Road and Lyme Gardens
If approved, the schemes would operate under experimental trials which allow residents and the wider public to experience the change in-situ and share their thoughts over a minimum of six months.
During trials, the council would monitor the impact of the intervention on traffic and any uptake in active travel. The trials would be removed or made permanent within 18 months of starting.
Councillor Joel Hirst, cabinet project lead for Liveable Neighbourhoods and Residential Parking Zones, said: “Based on feedback from residents, we are considering five new trials early next year and will receive reports on each of them in order to make our decisions.
“The trial areas are going onto the council’s Forward Plan and reflect our commitment to work with communities to create quieter, safer and healthier streets, and to broaden people’s travel choices by creating more space for walking, wheeling and cycling.”
Councillor Manda Rigby, cabinet member for Transport added: “Three through-traffic restriction trials are already in place, in Church Street, Southlands, and Queen Charlton Lane, and we will decide on whether to make them permanent or not by the end of the year.
“We will base our decisions on consultation feedback, traffic monitoring data, current transport policies, and air quality data.
“These schemes have shown us that the best method of introducing Liveable Neighbourhood proposals is via an ETRO giving time to monitor impacts and for communities to respond to the changes, before any permanent changes are adopted, so we are adopting this method for these next five communities.
“At all times, there will be vehicle access to all properties as part of these schemes once in operation.”
A spokesperson for the Circus Area Residents Association (CARA), said: “The context and arguments in favour of introducing key aspects of a Liveable Neighbourhood into our CARA catchment area have always been and remain compelling.
“The announced potential interventions and enhancements in ‘upper’ Gay Street together with that bordering Catharine Place will underpin the more general improvements to the public realm that we ourselves as a community have initiated and continue to undertake.
“The ongoing and unabated increase that significant parts of our catchment area are evidencing in terms of visitor/tourist footfall will be more safely and effectively managed as a result of these improvements, alongside a reduction in unnecessary and intrusive ‘rat-running’, such innovations would be to the benefit of residents and local businesses alike.”
Reports on the proposed new schemes will be available on the council’s website from December, and letters with more details will be sent to residents and businesses in the affected areas at the same time.
Should the new trials go ahead, the council has said it would engage with the community throughout the winter. Detailed plans would be shared and there would be opportunities to speak with advisors in person about any concerns.