Councillors on Bath & North East Somerset Council have “called-in” the decision to make a controversial “liveable neighbourhood” traffic restriction permanent.
The planters on Southlands | Photo © John Wimperis
57% of people living on Southlands in Bath said, in a recent council survey, they were opposed to the through traffic restriction on the street which was installed in November 2022 on a trial basis.
In an earlier survey, 71% said they were opposed to it. But the scheme was made permanent anyway, with the council stating “several of the reasons for opposing the trial were not borne out in practice”.
Now 11 opposition councillors — including the leaders and spokesperson of the Labour, Independent, and Conservative groups on the council — have signed a “call-in” of the decision, requiring it to go back before the council’s scrutiny panel.
The call-in cites local opposition to the plans, “weak” evidence, and the number of people concerned about the quality of the consultation.
Labour opposition leader on the council Robin Moss said: “Labour wholeheartedly supports the principle of reducing pollution to save our planet.
“But when almost three-quarters of local respondents say they’re against it, it can’t be seen as a good use of £13,700 of public money, which could be better used to help people struggling with the cost of living.“
Independent group spokesperson Shaun Hughes said: “These decisions are supposed to be evidence-based and go through a worthwhile public consultation, the council needs to listen to locally affected residents prior to making these decisions that affect people’s quality of life.”
Conservative group leader Tim Warren said: “Without evidence that this scheme would improve the lives of residents (actually the total opposite is more likely to be the case) we felt it should not be imposed upon residents when 71% of respondents opposed it.”
Two other liveable neighbourhood trials which were run at the same time, on Queen Charlton Lane by Whitchurch and Church Road in Widcombe, are also set to be made permanent. Both schemes enjoyed majority support from locals and neither has been called-in.
Announcing the schemes would be made permanent on 26th January, council cabinet member for transport Manda Rigby said: “Before starting the trials reports showed nearly half of all traffic in Southlands and Church Street was through traffic, defined as vehicles using the road without stopping.
“After the trial in all cases, the number of vehicles entering the streets for access from either end of the restrictions also dropped significantly, in addition to through traffic being cut to zero.
“The monitoring reports showed that no significant traffic impacts were recorded on the primary alternative routes as a direct result of the trials and, most commonly, there were air quality improvements within and outside the trial area.
“In all cases, the NO2 readings are well below the government legal limit and also within the council’s own stricter targets.”
If the call-in is accepted as valid by the council’s chief executive and its scrutiny panel chairs, it will be considered at a council scrutiny panel who can make a recommendation on what the decision should be.
The panel has no power to make the decision itself, however, only to make recommendations to the decision maker.
John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter
