Plans in for controversial transport shake-up

By pwiltshire

Campaigners are gearing up for the biggest planning battle in Bath for 15 years as controversial schemes to tackle traffic congestion are finally submitted.

The gloves will now come off over Bath and North East Somerset Council's £60 million proposals to create a new bus rapid transit route, expand existing park-and-ride sites and build a new park-and-ride at Bathampton Meadows.

The council - which this week submitted four separate applications to itself for the Bath Transportation Package - says its plans will create a "21st century transportation network".

But it faces opposition from four different groups, and city MP Don Foster has urged the authority to come up with a better solution to the area's problems.

When the applications are formally registered by planning officers next week, pressure groups will inundate the authority with objections.

Although the council's development control committee will decide on the four applications, they may be called in by Government ministers and it is possible a public inquiry could then be scheduled.

Council cabinet member for transport Cllr Charles Gerrish said B&NES had "engaged with local communities" over the plans.

"If traffic congestion is to be tackled, it is essential to provide a 21st century transportation network by more than doubling park-and-ride capacity, and providing east-west rapid transit that will stop at key points in the city, such as the SouthGate transport interchange.

"These improvements underpin the rest of our plans which include improving the pedestrian environment and city centre, and enhancing access for cyclists to the city."

The thrust of the council's proposals is backed by the Business Initiative for Bath and North East Somerset, Bath Chamber of Commerce, and the Federation of Bath Residents' Associations.

It has received partial support from the Federation of Small Businesses, which backs the Bathampton Park and Ride site but opposes the BRT route through Newbridge, and from the public transport users' group TravelWatch South West, which supports the BRT but questions the choice of the meadows as a park and ride site.

Cllr Gerrish added: "The council has welcomed all feedback to these plans whether through interest groups, meetings, or at the successful public exhibition in November. Residents and businesses recognise the scale of the congestion problem the whole community faces and, on the whole, view the Bath Transportation Package as a step in the right direction to meeting this challenge."

The four applications are for the Bathampton site, the expansion of Lansdown park and ride, the expansion of Odd Down park and ride and the expansion of the facility at Newbridge together with the BRT route.

The quickest link to the planning applications when they are registered - likely to be at some stage next week - will be: http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/BathNES/environmentandplanning/majordevelopments

The plans - funded largely by the Government - would create an extra 2,520 park-and-ride spaces and drive a dedicated bus route along an old railway line through Newbridge and Lower Weston, as well as upgrade 10 bus routes.

The council says that the number of cars travelling through the centre of Bath in the morning rush hour will rise by 14 per cent in the next ten years unless action is taken.

Mr Foster said the council had failed to properly investigate alternatives to its proposals and to consult fully with local people.

"The current proposals have the potential to be deeply damaging.

"We have to find a way of solving congestion in this city but we have to get the right solution.

"That has to be a solution that takes the people of Bath with it rather than one which is in the face of opposition."

His Liberal Democrat colleagues on the council have also criticised the £115,000 spent by the Tory-run council on publicity for the BTP.

The BRT element has attracted fury from residents who says its route will destroy a wildlife haven and turn into an under-used white elephant.

But TravelWatch SouthWest says the dedicated route will be essential to the scheme's success.

Council leader Cllr Francine Haeberling (Con, Saltford) said: "Every single day, the council is receiving correspondence from business, community organisations, residents groups and members of the public through its stopgridlock website which suggests the council's messages about the urgent need for transport improvements and the merits of our £60 million worth of measures are hitting home."

Opposition to the BRT is led by the campaign group, Response2route, which hopes the applications will be called in and a public inquiry called.

It has produced its own briefing document, called People First: The BRT – Bath deserves better.

The document says: “The future health and sustainability of communities in Bath is threatened by a plan to expand park and ride provision and introduce the Bus Rapid Transit system.

“Unfortunately the detail of the BRT proposal means that they will fundamentally undermine the viability of whole residential neighbourhoods and will impact dramatically on green belt landscape.”

The group says there has been a lack of attention to detail in assessing major financial risks and engineering feasibility, and that the social, visual and environmental impacts have been understated.

“Response2route is actively encouraging people to send their comments in writing to the planning department, once the application has been submitted.”

A residents’ group in Newbridge is opposing the extension plans for that area’s park and ride site.

Spokeswoman Helen Samuel said: “We are in favour of improving traffic congestion in Bath, however, we firmly believe the current plans are ill-conceived and unsuitable for Bath. Furthermore, they will only serve to exacerbate traffic problems within the city.”

She said the extension would threaten wildlife habits and added: “It is safe to say in our area, there is widespread dissatisfaction and anxiety regarding the proposals and this will be represented by a substantial number of letters of objection, which will be sent to the planning committee.”

The Bathampton scheme is opposed by the Save Bathampton Meadows pressure group and by Batheaston Parish Council.

A spokesman for SBM said: “We will continue our liaison with local and national government, drawing attention to the absence of evidence that the proposed scheme will reduce congestion, the fact that the proposed Bathampton site is not suited to the proposed development as has been concluded previously by B&NES and their consultants on at least three occasions in the last 10 years and twice previously when planning applications for the site have been rejected, and to the fact that a proper process of public consultation has not been followed by B&NES and furthermore important information released by B&NES has been misleading, incorrect or both.”

The group says it is in touch with the Local Government Ombudsman and that it will be staging another public protest at the site off the Batheaston Bypass in the near future as well as a poster campaign.

Batheaston Parish Council chairman David Lavington said no park and ride facility to the east of Bath would ease congestion and pollution at London Road.

“The one thing that would make a difference would be removing HGVs.”