Delays 'to double' at busy city junction
Delays at a busy city centre junction are likely to more than double in the next 10 years, council chiefs warned today.
Bath and North East Somerset Council has revealed computer model projections for five congestion blackspots in the city as it attempts to boost public support for its own £58 million package of transport plans.
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It says that if nothing is done to tackle congestion in the city, morning rush hour waiting times at the junction of George Street, Broad Street, The Paragon and Lansdown Road will increase by 118 per cent over the next decade.
Its other projections are:
* Pulteney Road/Bathwick Hill – 43 per cent increase in average delay
* London Road/Cleveland Bridge – 39 per cent increase in average delay
* North Parade/Pulteney Road – 19 per cent increase in average delay
* Newbridge Hill/Combe Park – 19 per cent increase in average delay.
The council is facing opposition at either end of Bath to two key elements of its £58 million Bath Transportation Package, and has upped the ante with new web pages warning of the consequences if its schemes are defeated.
Pressure groups have been set up to fight both its Bus Rapid Transit scheme through Newbridge and its latest chosen location for an east-of-Bath park and ride site, at Bathampton.
But council cabinet member for transport Cllr Charles Gerrish said: "In ten years' time, Bath is likely to be gridlocked with vehicles waiting at junctions unless Bath and North East Somerset Council delivers on the vision priority of improving transport and the public realm.
"If current trends continue, it is likely that delays at these junctions will delay motorists and public transport by anything from a fifth to double the time they are waiting on average now. This would be harmful to the local economy and erode residents' quality of life."
The figures were revealed on the website – www.bathnes.gov.uk/stopgridlock.
Cllr Gerrish added: "If the council does nothing about improving public transport, then residents and workers could face additional delays of up to four minutes at a junction. This is simply unacceptable and reinforces the need for measures to improve bus routes, expand park and ride capacity, enhance cycling and pedestrian access, and reduce the number of HGVs in our area."
The council says 27,000 people already travel in and out of Bath by car to get to work every day, contributing to congestion which costs £50 million a year.
The number of cars travelling through the centre of Bath is expected to increase by 14 per cent in the next ten years, it says.
Officials say a fifth of travelling time is currently spent at a standstill in the former Avon.
The figures come from the Bath Transportation Package business case, and the Model Forecasting Report submitted to the Department for Transport as part of the Joint Local Transport Plan.
22 Comments
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by Jo, Bath
Sunday, October 26 2008, 8:01PM
“In reference to the comment by Dan from Combe Down, Dan your no. 7 suggestion, "if a P&R is necessary build it by Cadburys in Keynsham and make people use the train", is a much, much better idea than what is currently proposed, but unfortunately Cllr Charles Gerrish would never agree to it because the cadbury's site is far to close to his home. Its much more preferable for him to make decisions from afar!”
by JC, Bath
Thursday, October 23 2008, 4:59PM
“And I presume that B&NES will reject any plans for a Tescos on the Bath Press site, as that will significantly increase traffic around Bath. Or will it be the usual B&NES left hand/ right hand lack of co-ordination scenario?”
by JC, Bath
Thursday, October 23 2008, 4:54PM
“Dubious stats to support a dubious scheme. Before wasting so much of our money, it might have been an idea to actually do a proper traffic survey, so that the right issues can be addressed. Petit Breton - Nice sentiments, but if we did all move to Public Transport, Worst Group would increase the fares to lower demand, as that is more profitable than increasing capacity. Until Public transport is seen as an asset, rather than a drain on resources, or a cash-cow if you are a Private Contractor, nothing will improve, and Councils will continue pursuing ineffective and wasteful plans.”
by Jo, Bath
Thursday, October 23 2008, 3:49PM
“The council forgot to mention how the BRT will actually ADD to congestion on the Windsor Bridge Road, London Road and in the outskirts of Bath. There is no point in a so called transport "solution", if all it does is move traffic from one place to another. Bath needs a long term intergrated transport solution not short sighted fashion statement.”
by Tony, Bath
Thursday, October 23 2008, 1:17PM
“I said that nobody's kidding themselves that it's one particular problem. I agree completeley that people will have to make personal changes, but BANES' responsibility is to come up with 21st century solutions to a multitude of diverse problems based on properly sourced statistics, to identify where those changes can be made. A one size fits all plan isn't going to work.”
by Petit Breton, Winsley
Thursday, October 23 2008, 12:43PM
“But yes people are kidding themselves - people think its others: the councils, others, and haulage that is causing the problems - heavens forbid that they're actually contributing to the problem and that they could do something about it themselves.
I quite agree that many of the council's plans are ill thought out and that they need to go back to the drawing board, but to paraphrase Kennedy's inaugural address:
"Ask not what your council is going to do to limit congestion and pollution, ask what _you_ are going to do to limit congestion and pollution!"”
by Tony, Bath
Thursday, October 23 2008, 10:30AM
“Nobody's kidding themselves that A4-A36 traffic is the big problem. There are loads of big problems. Unfortunately , BANES' lack of proper consultation and properly assembled traffic flow figures, seem to suggest that they haven't got a clue, and are just panicking.”
by paul, Bath
Wednesday, October 22 2008, 7:53PM
“The park & ride is currently too expensive for most people and teh council should consider this if they want to reduce traffic. At the moment park & ride buses charge per passenger so you are effectively are being punished for car sharing! It would cost approximatley the same to park in town as it would for a full car of peopel to pay for the bus, The bus fare cahrge on park & ride buses ashould therefore be charged per car rather than per person. I promise you that would have an immediate impact on some of the traffic issues in Bath...”
by McFrank, Planet Blog
Wednesday, October 22 2008, 7:23PM
“Bath v Traffic.
This has been a talking point for the last 2000 + years!
Ol' Noman the Roman had the same problems so he had the Fosseway built, but sadly that got so jammed up with locals going in and out of the city he packed up and went back home to Rome. Since then the city has had sadan chairs, horse and carts and now todays cars, trucks buses etc. AND still the same ol' jams!
Answer :- Close Bath City to ALL but buses, trains, delivery trucks, taxis and local servises ie wast collection, police, fire, ambulance and bicycles!
Maybe that will sort out the problem?
Or NOT!”
by Petit Breton, Winsley
Wednesday, October 22 2008, 7:00PM
“I cycle and occasionally drive round most of Bath and the A36 most days and to be honest most of the commenters here are kidding themselves.
The majority of the traffic causing congestion are single occupant cars not HGVs and most of the traffic is going too and from Bath to local towns and Bristol. An A46/36 link isn't going to sort out the congestion problems - getting people out of their cars will.”