Construction is getting under way on a major new walking, wheeling and cycling route through Bath city centre, designed to link with existing and future active travel schemes across the city.
Upper Borough Walls from above | Photo © B&NES Council
The route will start on Charles Street and run through the centre via Upper Borough Walls to Pulteney Bridge, creating a new connection between key streets and planned transport projects.
Work begins on Upper Borough Walls today, Monday 9th March, with the full programme expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
The scheme includes around 300 metres of new cycle paths, eight new crossings and improvements to 800 metres of pavements, roads and drainage.
Works will be carried out in phases across several parts of the route. Upper Borough Walls, Old Bond Street and Burton Street are all scheduled to start in March 2026, each lasting around seven weeks, with Upper Borough Walls gaining a new loading bay and a clearly marked cycle route, while Old Bond Street and Burton Street will be repaved.
Bridge Street will also start in March and run for 14 weeks, delivering a new cycle path and a new loading bay.
Further work will follow in late April at Beauford Square and Princes Street, where upgraded pedestrian crossings and road repaving are planned over six weeks.
Charles Street is set for the longest phase, beginning in April and running for around seven months to create a cycle path that links to the new cycle route on Green Park Road. In early summer, works are planned for Barton Street, Trim Street and Monmouth Street, including an extension of the pedestrianised area, upgraded crossings and paved areas, and a new two-way cycle lane in Monmouth Street.
The route is intended to connect to other schemes, including the proposed Weston to city centre route, the Bath River Line project, the National Cycling Network and the Bath Quays Links scheme currently under construction.
Councillor Lucy Hodge, cabinet member for sustainable transport delivery, said: “This will improve travel options in the city centre for our residents and visitors.
“Making it easier for people to walk, wheel, and cycle helps cut pollution and reduce car dependency in the city, benefiting everyone’s health.
“This will connect to a number of other schemes as we set out to improve travel options, reduce traffic and create great quality places for residents across Bath and North East Somerset.”
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said: “Working together with the council, this latest regional investment will cut pollution and give local communities better choices for how to get around.
“Getting the basics right now by improving our walking and cycling routes here in Bath, and making it safer for everyone with new crossings, will lay the foundations for a better transport system overall for the West of England.
“We’ve secured a record £752 million for that next stage from national government.
“That means that the West can get out of the slow lane on transport and start to catch up with other regions, with better buses, more trains, and mass transit plans – as well as active travel and street improvements, as recently set out in our new Transport Vision.”
