Central Bath will be divided into four “cells” under radical plans to remove through traffic and make the city carbon neutral by 2030.
A map of the four cells proposed to remove through traffic from central Bath | Image © B&NES Council
There will only be one or two access points on each of the outer boundaries for vehicles and they will be prevented from passing from quadrant to another, although movement for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport will be unrestricted.
Traffic will be directed onto key arterial routes that prioritise bikes that where possible will be kept separate from vehicles.
Bath and North East Somerset North East Somerset Council is drawing inspiration from Ghent, a largely flat World Heritage City in Belgium that in 2017 stopped traffic from crossing its centre.
The long-term ideas is mooted in the council’s “journey to net zero” consultation as one of the final steps in transforming Bath’s city centre.
It says combined with the ring of steel, a movement study for the “top of town” – covering Grand Parade and High Street, Dorchester Street, James Street West, Green Park Road – and a masterplan for the Milsom Quarter, road space will be reallocated to deliver “significant improvements to active travel, public transport facilities and the public realm”.
Transport currently accounts for 29 per cent of emissions and deputy council leader Sarah Warren said a “fundamental rethink” was needed for how people move around Bath to reach carbon neutrality.
As well as a mass transit system for the West of England with universal ticketing, the consultation also reveals a study is underway to consider if a mass transit system within Bath is financially viable and sustainable.
It says the council will consider demand management measures such as a congestion charge, public transport discounts, a workplace parking levy and staggered start times for businesses and schools.
And it proposes moving freight by bike, train and even buses to cut the number of HGVs and says the city’s park and rides will be upgraded into transport interchanges, an idea that has already been floated.
Plans to increase cycling include the rollout of on-street bike hangars and hire schemes for e-bikes. The council went out for tender in 2019 for a hire scheme but no company came forward.
The consultation says half all trips between 8am and 9am are related to education. The council wants to “break the cycle” of parents driving kids to school and see all secondary school pupils able to travel independently to school by bus, on foot or bike.
The authority is asking residents to give their views on proposals it believes are needed to effect a shift to public transport, walking and travel by bike that will be needed to deliver its net zero ambition.
Councillor Warren, the cabinet member for sustainable travel, said: “This is a pivotal moment in our journey to net zero, and I think everyone who travels around our area will be interested in these ideas and want to have their say on them.
“We want to hear from you on those projects we feel we need to pursue to provide better, more sustainable transport choices.
“We have introduced the first charging clean air zone outside of London and are currently working with local communities on our liveable neighbourhoods programme.
“But to go further we need your help with a more fundamental rethink of how we get around our area – and the big changes we will need to make to our transport system to get to carbon neutrality by 2030.
“We know that large numbers of people currently have no choice but to use their cars as they don’t have safe cycle routes that they can use away from traffic or don’t have a reliable or frequent enough bus service.
“Reductions in car use can only come if we start providing more cycle facilities, better public transport facilities and a safer transport network.
“Together we have the power to turn the climate emergency around but it’s going to require all of us to make a change in the way we travel, which could be made possible through Journey to Net Zero.”
The consultation closes on 7th February 7. Visit www.bathnes.gov.uk/journeytonetzero to respond.
Residents will have the chance to ask questions at a webinar at 6pm on 24th January. You can sign up here.
Stephen Sumner, Local Democracy Reporter
