Bath Liveable Neighbourhood set to be made permanent
It comes despite three quarters of comments on the scheme being negative
A controversial liveable neighbourhood in Bath is set to be made permanent, despite three quarters of comments on the plan being against it.
Bath and North East Somerset Council installed bollards across Sydney Road in April 2024 on what was officially a trial basis as part of its scheme of liveable neighbourhoods (also called low traffic neighbourhoods or LTNs). It has been hugely controversial, with people on the street “freed from the tyranny of the motor vehicle” while neighbouring streets warn: “Their liveable neighbourhood has become our unliveable neighbourhood.”
Now council reports are recommending the scheme be made permanent “as soon as possible.” The decision will be made as a “single member decision” by council cabinet member for resources Mark Elliot (Lansdown, Liberal Democrat) on or after February 15.
Mr Elliott said: “This is a detailed and thorough analysis of a comprehensive trial and consultation which I will consider carefully. It is interesting to see from the feedback how people’s opinions have shifted over the course of the trial to be more positive, although a significant number are obviously still opposed.
“The consultation process allowed people to express a wide range of views. The trial is a result of years of campaigning by residents, and it’s important that I assess whether the reasons for objecting are supported by evidence.
“I also note that the Bath Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Links scheme aims to further improve connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists by proposing a safer route connecting Bathwick and the city centre than the current National Cycle Route 4, which currently follows the busy A36.”
While the scheme has officially only been in place on a trial basis, the council spent £306,300 installing new pavements, bollards, signage and road markings at the beginning of the trial. Asked at the time whether the council knew how much it would cost to undo these if it was not made permanent, the council did not have a figure and said it would have to be included in future budgeting.
1,899 people responded to the consultation on the scheme — with 76 per cent opposed to the scheme, and 24 per cent in favour.
Of the 104 responses from people living on Sydney Road and New Sydney Place, 72 per cent were in favour of the scheme; but the 684 respondents living on nearby roads within the trial area were 70% per cent against.
83 per cent of the 1,090 people who responded but live outside the trial area were opposed.
People opposed to the scheme have raised more than £6,000 to fight the liveable neighbourhood through the courts if the decision is taken to make it permanent. About 4,000 people had also signed a petition against the scheme on website 38 Degrees before it was disabled for “inappropriate content.”
Closing Sydney Road to traffic means cars heading for the centre from Warminster Road must now follow Beckford Road around Sydney Gardens, often meaning a wait at the traffic lights by Bathwick Street. But the council reports said the journey along the road only took five seconds longer than it had before the trial, although drivers had lost the ability to shave 40 seconds off their journey by going down Sydney Road.
But people living along Beckford Road told another story when several addressed the council in July 2024 to urge them to drop the scheme. One person warned: “Near misses are happening the whole time because of the Sydney Road LTN.”
People living on Sydney Road, however, had addressed the council in March and praised the scheme, with one person saying: “Sydney Road LN creates a small safe space to move around without fear of being run down by a rat runner from Bathampton trying to get to Waitrose before it closes. Other more appropriate and better built roads are available.”
It comes as another liveable neighbourhood scheme in Bristol is proving equally controversial.
Last month around 30 campaigners against plans to create an LTN in the Barton Hill area blocked contractors from installing a bus gate.
Since then photos have emerged of at least one driver cutting through Avon View Cemetery in a bid to get around LTN closures. Tyre marks were left over the top of a grave.