Politicians last night voted to plough on with a controversial £60 million drive to tackle congestion in Bath.

Opposition Liberal Democrats had attempted to put the brakes on the Bath Transport Package, which includes the £16 million Bus Rapid Transit project.

At a stormy meeting, they accused the council's ruling Tory cabinet of turning a deaf ear to concerns over the scheme, which would create a new segregated bus route in Newbridge.

Residents opposed to the BRT, which they say will be an environmentally-damaging waste of money, protested before a meeting of Bath and North East Somerset Council last night.

But Conservatives, Labour and independent councillors teamed up to vote down a move by the Liberal Democrats to get an independent review of the plans.

Instead, the council voted simply to "engage with residents" and crack on with the package, which also includes contentious plans for a new park and ride site at Bathampton.

The Response2Route pressure group, buoyed by a poll on the Chronicle's website www.thisisbath.co.uk showing 80 per cent opposition to the BRT, also handed over a 2,000-signature petition to B&NES last night.

During the council meeting, an overspill room had to be opened to accommodate the protesters.

The growing divide between the biggest parties at the Guildhall over the BRT intensified last night amid claim and counter-claim about exactly how the route had been first approved.

Tories accuse the opposition of going back on initial support for the principle of the BRT, which appeared as a line on a map in a planning blueprint to which all parties signed up two years ago.

The Liberal Democrats say the plan has changed since then, and that walkers and cyclists would be marginalised by the latest scheme.

The cabinet has warned that any changes to the package would risk the city losing around £50 million of Government funding to sort out Bath's traffic nightmares.

Deputy council leader Cllr Malcolm Hanney said that if Bath's transport issues were not addressed, the city's economic growth could be stifled.

Tories say plans for the BRT route have already been reviewed by independent experts who concluded that creating a segregated section on a former railway line which is now a popular recreation area would be more cost-effective than using existing roads.

Conservative politician Cllr Richard Maybury (Lambridge) said: "After years of increasing congestion, these plans are a big step forward in keeping Bath moving. The new and expanded park and rides will take thousands of extra cars off Bath's roads and the improved bus routes will benefit thousands of transport users across the region. It's just a shame that cross-party support for this scheme has broken down."

Party colleague Cllr Colin Barrett (Con, Weston) added: "Attempts by Liberal Democrats to put the brakes on these improvements would be a one-way route to gridlock. The plans for the rapid transit route have been detailed since before I was a councillor, yet the Liberal Democrats now want to backtrack on their previous support at massive cost to taxpayers."

The BRT would run from an expanded Newbridge Park and Ride site through the Western Riverside and the city centre to the new facility at Bathampton.

The package also includes expanding sites at Odd Down and Lansdown and improving existing bus services.

Opposition councillor Andrew Furse (Lib Dem, Kingsmead), who led the move to get the BRT route reviewed, accused Tories of "quibbling".

"We are still not convinced that all the alternatives have been properly looked at and that there has been real and meaningful consultation. Once again the Conservatives have shut their ears to the protests which have been raised by the very people who will be worst affected by the scheme.

"The Conservatives seem only to be concerned with quibbling about who voted for what and when in the past. But residents care more about what is on the table right now. It is clear that the other parties do not care about residents' concerns."

Cllr Caroline Roberts (Lib Dem, Newbridge), who represents people most affected by the route, said the BRT and the expansion of Newbridge Park and Ride would affect up to 1,000 people's homes in one way or another.

"It has been said by some people that there is a lot of fuss over the loss of just a half a dozen gardens. In fact we have counted the numbers and there are up to 1,000 residents who will be affected by the new road outside their houses, or the new extension to the Newbridge Park and Ride.

"The present situation is different in many ways to that agreed in the local transport plan, so the Tories should listen to the electorate and agree to an independent review to show the people that they are listening."

Protesters fighting the scheme say it will become a magnet for anti-social behaviour.

At the protest outside the Guildhall, campaigner Jo McCarron said: "We are here to protest againt the BRT because we feel that we haven't been given any facts that the BRT will do what they say it will.

"We have not seen any evidence of cost benefits or a feasibility study.

"This scheme threatens Newbridge and Lower Weston as a residential area,and it will also deliver very limited benefits at a huge cost.

"There are major feasibility issues and financial risk which have not been properly assessed.

"The council have decided in favour of the scheme before even completing an impact assessment.

"At night the roadway will become a magnet for mopeds, joyriders and anti-social behaviour which the council will not be able to control.

"We just wanted to be out here to show the amount of people who are upset about this.

"The council need to listen to us and they are not."

Sue Greco, 62, of Newbridge Road, said: "My garden is right at the bottom of where they propose to put the bus lane.

"I don't want the noise or the pollution that will come with this.

"I think this route will be open to vandalism – it will become dangerous.

"I am definitely against this – we have used the lane to walk the dogs and take our grandchildren out. I have lived here for 35 years.

"My house will be de-valued because of this and they do not care.

"The council need to listen to us about this but they don't and won't."

Pippa Page, 49, from Newbridge, who was at the demonstration with her husband Robert, said: "It is a green belt area and is special because of its outstanding beauty.

"A normal person living in Newbridge wouldn't be able to put up a loft extension because the council would have a problem with it but yet they seem to be able to do as they please."