Can it really be 'rapid' transit in Bath's centre?
Re: the Bath Transportation Package – is it 'blue sky thinking' or pie in the sky?
The notion of rapid transit along Bath's London Road and Walcot Street is laughable for anyone who knows the area. The pinch points at Morrisons' entrance, Cleveland Place, London Street and Walcot Street are self-evident.
At the council meeting on May 20, we learnt that the much vaunted rapid transit toute from Newbridge will have its own pinch points – a single track at the bridge (as opposed to what was previously described – and suggested in the publicity maps), and now joining at the midpoint of Windsor Bridge where obvious congestion presently exists at both the northern and southern traffic lights i.e. more pinch points.
Furthermore, the rapid transit route through Western Riverside is definitely not going to happen in the immediate future so buses will join ordinary roads along with other bus services.
Perhaps more worrying is Wessex Water's response saying: "Construction proposals at this site location (Windsor Villas) will present significant difficulty given the restricted site conditions and the current layout of sewerage plant and apparatus.
"Furthermore, future access to the site may not provide satisfactory room to accommodate turning movements for maintenance vehicles.
"Diversion works will be at significant cost owing to capacity and sensitivity of the rising main and will be completed at the developer's expense. No agreement has been reached upon the cost and timing of these works.
"If satisfactory arrangements cannot be agreed at this location the works to divert these rising mains and relocate the pumping station will be expensive and disruptive.
"No costs have been considered for this option. However, these are likely to be in excess of £1 million."
This cost would be the responsibility of the developer ie. B&NES.
DR DAVID DUNLOP Kensington Place Bath
Comments
by Jo, Bath
Saturday, July 04 2009, 6:00PM
“We asked to see projected costs of lowering the sewer in one section between Brassmill Lane and Hartwells.
I received a letter from Peter Dawson dated 13th October 08, which reads,
"We have done much work on the potential for lowering the rising main and our findings are that the cost to the project will be marginal"
A bold statement from Peter, and quite in contrast to the recent objection letter from Wessex Water, which states,
¿Diversion works will be at significant cost owing to capacity and sensitivity of the rising main and will be completed at the developer¿s expense. No agreement has been reached upon the cost and timing of these works¿
This relates only to this one section, other sections show even more feasibility and cost issues, as David has stated in his letter.
How can the council possibly continue to insist that the Midland railway is the best value for money when they have not even agreed on a price for lowering the main sewer? How do they have the audacity to keep saying this option will be less expensive than utilising space on existing wide roads? Who will pay when the bottomless pit of contingency funds, which apparently will pay for the sewer works, runs out?”