An ongoing scheme to improve walking and cycling along the Upper Bristol Road in Bath will see a number of overnight closures take place in coming days.
Bath & North East Somerset Council is creating separated cycle lanes and improving pedestrian routes along the route, with the first section of the new cycle lane expected to open later this month.
In order to complete road markings and install cycle lane separators, the road will close between Midland Road and Marlborough Lane between 7pm and 7am on 17th and 18th October. Night-time closures have been chosen to minimise disruption.
Residents and businesses will still have access to their properties and pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.
A closure of Nile Street at its junction with the Upper Bristol Road has been put in place, with a traffic diversion in place via Little Stanhope Street and Great Stanhope Street.
The new cycle lanes, which pass a bus on the kerb side, will introduce a new type of bus stop not seen before in Bath.
In this first section of cycle lane, ‘floating bus stops’ will be put in place. These have an island people can step on to when getting on or off a bus.
Pedestrians will have priority at these bus stops, which include a zebra crossing with tactile paving to allow people to cross the cycle lane safely between the island and the footway. People using the cycle lane must stop to allow bus passengers to get on or off the bus.
Councillor Sarah Warren, cabinet member for Climate and Sustainable Travel, said: “We have written to residents and businesses to make them aware of these road closures and hope that by carrying out the work at night, there will be less disruption.
“These improvements will make it easier for people to cycle, wheel and walk along the route, which will help reduce congestion and improve air quality in the city.
“I’m looking forward to seeing people using the first section of the new cycle lanes when they open this month.”
The next phase of works on Upper Bristol Road includes:
- Creating a separated cycle lane on both sides of the road between the junctions with Charlotte Street and Midland Road.
- Improvements to the side road junctions to make them easier for pedestrians to cross – these are called continuous footways.
- Removing and replacing the pelican crossing near Nile Street with a new wide zebra crossing nearby that can also be used by pedestrians, wheelers and cyclists.
- Reducing the speed limit to 20mph and improving the crossing island near Monmouth Place.
- Two new bus shelters at the two stops in this section of road where there are currently none.
There will be one final overnight road closure, with the need to restrict vehicle access at Crescent Gardens on a date to be confirmed.
The council says it will write directly to residents who will be affected to explain the traffic arrangements closer to the time.