Traders' concern over impact of new bus route on shops

By cfoster

Traders concerned about the impact of a new rapid bus route through Bath were among those who walked its proposed route this week.

The walk, which was led by Cllr David Dixon (Lib Dem, Walcot), began at the Guildhall and finished at the Lambridge rugby training ground.

If granted planning permission, the £16 million Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route would link the east and west of the city, with hi-tech buses running between Newbridge park and ride and a new park and ride likely to be at Bathampton.

The city centre part of the route would see vehicles travel along Broad Street, before turning into Saracen Street and leaving the city centre via Walcot Street.

But businesses say the loss of parking spaces needed to accommodate new bus lanes would have a detrimental effect on their trade.

Martin Tracy, of the Framing Workshop in Walcot Street, said: "There is growing concern in Walcot Street about the lack of information surrounding this scheme. "There is precious little parking in the street already and most of it is taken up by residents. We need access, we need people to get to us.

"We have huge problems with congestion as it is, so I don't know how buses are going to travel through here."

But shop owners were relieved to hear Bath and North East Somerset Council - which is behind the BRT - proposes the creation of a new stop in the area for park and ride buses to encourage shoppers.

Also taking part in the walk were representatives from the council's traffic safety and highways teams.

The route has proved highly contentious in Newbridge, where there are plans to slice through parts of a handful of gardens, and to use a disused railway path.

Cllr Dixon said: "This march was about being proactive and allowing residents, business owners and councillors to have their questions answered and reassuring them there is no hidden agenda.

"Our immediate concerns were that there have been lots of accidents along the London Road and residents are concerned how putting in an extra bus lane will affect that.

"They also wanted to know if anyone will be losing parts of their front gardens as in Newbridge but we were reassured that they are looking at using the existing road space to accommodate the proposed route.

"We were also trying to get an idea of whether this will be a two-way or single lane bus route and whether parking spaces will be sacrificed.

"This stretch of the scheme is not as contentious as Newbridge and perhaps if this kind of listening exercise had been carried out there earlier on, there would not have been such a furore.

"Although the plans for the route there were first mooted 20 years ago and people were consulted, there should have been another consultation since then."

A public consultation, with exhibitions is due to be held early next month before a planning application is submitted.

A council spokesman said the authority would "continue to engage with local communities" over the BRT.

"Around 27,000 people come in and out of the city to work every day by car, the annual cost of congestion to Bath is £50 million, and there is a projected 14 per cent increase in rush hour morning traffic in Bath in ten years' time.

"The road network is already severely constrained. Doing nothing is not an option. "The city needs measures to make travel easier and more efficient which is why the council is investing over £60 million to improve transport."

The Response2Route group, which is opposed to the BRT plan, will hold a public meeting at the Dolphin Inn on Tuesday October 21 at 7pm.

Members will also be delivering a petition and protesting outside the Guildhall ahead of a council meeting on Thursday November 20 from 6.30pm.