A public meeting has been called for people to find out about plans for a bus gate at Camden Road which “will affect the entire community east of Bath”.
Where the proposed bus gate would begin on Camden Road
Bath & North East Somerset Council has been awarded funding from the West of England Combined Authority to create a Liveable Neighbourhood for Walcot which calls for a bus gate near Fairfield Park Health Centre.
The proposal has been drawn up by council officers based on consultation events held in Walcot, with input from the Lib Dem cabinet members and ward councillors.
In a leaflet delivered to residents in neighbouring Lambridge, the ward’s Green councillors Joanna Wright and Saskia Heijltjes say the Green Party “fully supports” Liveable Neighbourhoods and that it is right to create one on the east of Bath to help deal with through-traffic.
But they say neither they nor their constituents have been asked by the council for their views on the impact of the bus gate on their area, where residential streets are already clogged with traffic.
Councillors Wright and Heijltjes have requested that the council works with them to investigate how best to deal with the challenge of through-traffic passing in and out of both Lambridge and Walcot wards.
They say: “We have asked B&NES cabinet members to provide a circulation plan for through-traffic across Bath. To date there is still no circulation plan.
“To create Liveable Neighbourhoods requires a holistic vision of an area that is not based on political boundaries but on how traffic passes through the area.
“The council has selected areas of B&NES to have Liveable Neighbourhoods which includes measures like bus gates and bollards to prevent through-traffic in residential areas.
“Snow Hill and London Road in Walcot is one area selected but not Lambridge.
“However, the impact of the proposed bus gate on Camden Road will potentially cause an increase of traffic on the already congested residential streets of Lambridge.
“The proposed bus gate will affect the entire community east of Bath. Lambridge residents were not invited to the earlier consultation events that resulted in the proposal of a bus gate in Walcot.
“We are organising an event at the New Oriel Hall so that residents can give us their views. All residents are welcome to attend.”
The meeting is on Wednesday 20th November from 6pm to 7.30pm.
Councillor Manda Rigby, B&NES cabinet member for highways, has been asked to attend to hear residents’ views.
Councillor Rigby will be making the executive decision to deliver the Walcot Liveable Neighbourhood.
