Low Traffic Neighbourhoods made permanent
The move has been made - despite 57 per cent of people on the street saying it should go
A “liveable neighbourhood” traffic restriction in the middle of a residential Bath street will be made permanent — despite 57 per cent of people on the street saying it should go.
Bath and North East Somerset Council announced on January 26 that the three traffic restrictions installed in the council area in November 2022 on a trial basis would be made permanent. While schemes on Queen Charlton Lane near Whitchurch and Church Road in Bath have proved popular, the traffic restriction installed on Southlands on the other side of the city has been divisive and unpopular.
Some Southlanders have said the road was never a rat run and the scheme — which is intended to prevent this and create a “safe and pleasant route for walking and cycling” — has made its existing parking problem worse, as well as causing confusion and leading to headlights glaring into bedrooms while cars turn around. People warned there was not adequate consultation when the scheme was brought in but the council have said that the trial is, in effect, the consultation.
A survey at the end of the trial period found that 57 per cent of people on the street are opposed to the scheme, with 40 per cent in favour, while three per cent said they did not know. A protest was held over the weekend by people calling for the scheme to go.
But now the schemes are set to be made permanent after a single member decision, a use of delegated powers by council cabinet member for transport Manda Rigby. It will be possible for councillors to “call-in” the decision for five days. If it is not called in, a traffic regulation order making the scheme permanent could be in place from early spring.
Ms Rigby said: “I want to thank everyone who has taken part in consultations and given their feedback. Before starting the trials reports showed nearly half of all traffic in Southlands and Church Street was through traffic, defined as vehicles using the road without stopping. After the trial in all cases, the number of vehicles entering the streets for access from either end of the restrictions also dropped significantly, in addition to through traffic being cut to zero.
“The monitoring reports showed that no significant traffic impacts were recorded on the primary alternative routes as a direct result of the trials and, most commonly, there were air quality improvements within and outside the trial area. In all cases, the NO2 readings are well below the government legal limit and also within the council’s own stricter targets. Having taken the decision to make the schemes permanent and subject to the call-in period the traffic regulation order could be in place by the spring.”
Five more traffic restrictions could be soon be brought in across the city as the next phase of trials, which includes a major overhaul of the Gay Street and George Street junction in the centre of Bath.