Over 1 million people use Bath’s three park and ride services every year, with the number expected to increase significantly when a new site is developed to the east of the city.
Bath & North East Somerset Council, which is now consulting on plans for a new site, says it expects at least 2,500 people to use the new park and ride each day, taking an estimated 4,000 trips a day off the road.
Cllr Anthony Clarke (Conservative, Lansdown), Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “We need a park and ride service for people travelling in from the east of Bath, to tackle congestion, improve air quality and support economic growth in our city. Traffic and pollution will be worse in the years ahead if this park and ride is not delivered.
“Whatever site is selected, we want the new park and ride to be the greenest yet. As well as using low or zero-emission buses, it will be screened by natural landscaping and linked in with the cycle routes into the city.”
As well as easing congestion, taking 4000 trips a day off the road would lead to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of 1,162 tonnes per year.
There would also be reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx) of around 2,602 kg per annum; and 330 kg per annum of particulate matter, which is harmful to people’s health
The Council is consulting on three sites: Land east of A4/A46 junction (Site A); Land west of Mill Lane (Site B); Land east of Mill Lane (Site F).
Sites B and F could both provide up to 1,400 new spaces while site A could provide up to 1,100 spaces. It is expected that the service would be similar to the existing Park & Ride service from Odd Down with buses running every 10 or 12 minutes.
Cllr Clarke added: “A million people use our existing park and rides each year – that’s one million people using a bus instead of sitting in a car, driving into the city centre and causing more congestion. Building Bath’s missing fourth park and ride will have the same effect, taking even more cars off the roads.
“The park and ride is part of a package of improvement work in and around the city, identified in the Getting around Bath transport strategy, which was widely consulted upon and which received cross-party support.
“Other ongoing work includes improvements to rail services and the development of the A36/A46 link road which would help divert through traffic, which we continue to work towards with Wiltshire Council and Highways England.”
The objectives of the Park & Ride scheme include:
- Reducing congestion in and around the city – essential to support economic development, helping to create new jobs and homes.
- Reducing the volume of traffic on London Road and cutting harmful emissions.
- Reducing car use in the city centre and increasing the proportion of journeys made by public transport.
- Improving transport links to support business and growth of the wider region.
Cllr Tim Warren (Conservative, Mendip), Leader of Council, said: “There are too many cars in the city centre – everybody acknowledges this.
“Our park and ride sites already result in two million fewer car trips a year in and out of the city centre – this is a huge figure and this new site will significantly increase it.
“Throughout the public consultation, we have asked for people’s views on where best to locate it based on the three viable options, and this is something we continue to encourage.
“As a local authority we need to look at the best option for everyone in Bath and North East Somerset, including all those people from around the city who travel in and out of the city centre each day.”
The Council is urging residents and commuters to share their views on where an east of Bath Park & Ride should be located, from the three viable sites put forward, by responding to the public consultation via www.bathnes.gov.uk/eastpandr by Sunday 18th October.
At the end of the consultation, officers will analyse the results, which will be put before councillors for a decision.
Once a preferred site has been chosen it will be included in the Council’s Placemaking Plan.
3 Comments
Westyfield2
Thursday 15th October, 2015 at 11:03An article that actually mentions harmful pollutants such as NOx and PM rather than obsessing over CO2. Top marks @NowBath!
Eleanor Field
Thursday 15th October, 2015 at 09:27A new PnR will NOT tackle air pollution or congestion in the East of Bath. The majority of traffic entering Bath from the East is delivery lorries / heavy goods vehicles and other traffic passing through. Those vehicles will not use a PnR…
In addition, if you are serious about reducing cars in the centre, discourage them by reducing car parking – shut down the central bath car parks like Charlotte Street perhaps??
Rob Styles
Thursday 15th October, 2015 at 08:53Was expecting a picture of a Park and Ride, not Bus Bus Station. #strange