The Council’s Vice-Chairman will officially open a new £890,000 footbridge and cycleway across the River Avon at Batheaston village on Tuesday 15th July at 9.30am.
Work on the footbridge and a cycle / pedestrian path running through the riverside meadows linking to Mill Lane and Bathampton began on 30th September 2013.
The project was partly funded through the Department of Transport’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund. The initiative has been supported by Batheaston Parish Council since it was raised in the Batheaston Vision Plan in 2009.
Councillor Ian Gilchrist, Vice-Chairman of the Council, will cut a ribbon to open the new footbridge and cycleway.
Bath & North East Somerset Council Leader, Councillor Paul Crossley, (Lib-Dem, Southdown) said: “This new footbridge and cycleway will improve access from Batheaston to Bath city centre for walkers and cyclists.
“The new route will allow people to travel from the centre of Batheaston via the new foobridge across the River Avon and a three-metre wide path following the river across Council-owned fields to Mill Lane, linking with Bathampton and National Cycle Route 4 on the Kennet & Avon Canal towpath, avoiding the need to use the busy London Road”.
Councillor Caroline Roberts (Lib-Dem, Newbridge ), Cabinet Member for Transport, said, “Bath & North East Somerset Council is proud to open this new walking and cycling route – connecting residents in Batheaston with Bath city centre – which represents a significant improvement to our transport network.
“The route will also provide convenient access for thousands of people living north east of Bath to the National Cycle Network.
“Ultimately, the Council wants to encourage more people to use more sustainable forms of transport other than the private car.”
