Agenda item

A new Transport Strategy for Bath was approved by Cabinet for consultation in May 2014.  The Strategy has been well received and supported by the majority of those who responded and is now recommended for approval by Cabinet. 

The Panel are asked to discuss the report prior to the meetings of Cabinet & Council.

The Cabinet are asked to recommend the Strategy to Council for Adoption at their meeting on 13th November.

Robin Kerr, Chairman of the Federation of Bath Residents' Associations addressed the Panel. A copy of his statement is available online as an appendix to these minutes and on the Panel’s Minute Book. A summary is set out below.

Traffic congestion and air pollution have consistently been our members' top concerns. Residents are especially worried about the high levels of pollution in the city, which are seriously harmful to health - as well as unlawful. You will have read in the report that traffic levels have reduced somewhat since 2008 but this is not true of pollution, which has remained at the same high level for at least ten years. Bath is a great place to live but is blighted by traffic, and has been for too long.

We support the vision of reducing intrusion of vehicles into the city, especially in the historic core. We should like to see a largely traffic-free city centre. However, as the strategy recognises, traffic also impacts on key arterial routes and this must be tackled too.

FOBRA strongly supports the development of a Park and Ride (or Rail) to the east of Bath. 77% of respondents to the consultation agreed with this. However, none of the P&Rs is actually fulfilling its potential.

We support more pedestrian access, more cycling, better public transport and improved freight delivery arrangements; but these will have a limited impact if motorists remain able to drive into Bath and park at will. Therefore we strongly support proposals to reduce visitor parking in the centre as the P&Rs are expanded, and to develop a traffic management plan.

We welcome a Low Emission Zone to improve air quality. This should cover the entire Central Area, not just round the bus station proposed so far, and should include the Great Pulteney Street/Henrietta Park area.

Nick Richardson, Mott MacDonald gave a presentation to the Panel on the Bath Transport Strategy. A copy is available online as an appendix to these minutes and on the Panel’s Minute Book. A summary is set out below.

Consultation

·  Two public exhibitions held – BRSLI 30 June and Guildhall 11 July (60 attendees)

·  Stakeholder presentation –  26 June (60 attendees)

·  Meetings with individuals/groups –

FoBRA, First Bus. First Great Western, Royal United Hospital, Bath Tourism Plus, Bath Spa University, Bath Cycle Group, Bus Users Group, BID, Bath Initiative

·  B&NES questionnaire generated 208 responses (158 online, 52 hard copy). Additional written submissions received

Key Findings

·  Two thirds of respondents (67%) agreed with the vision underpinning the Draft Transport Strategy

·  Strong support for increasing sustainable transport options including walking (93%), train (91%), bus (89%) and cycling (81%)

·  Reducing congestion – support for more Park and Ride capacity

·  Reducing the impact of heavy vehicles e.g. new road link

·  Strong support for rail improvements, promoting walking and cycling

·  Air quality is a prime concern

·  Some support for more bus priority and better services

Comments received

·  More emphasis on air quality

·  Strategy needs to be city-wide

·  Neighbourhood hub principle

·  More information needed on rail-based P&R proposal and road options

·  Carbon reduction as objective

·  Low Emission Zones needed

·  Protect landscape setting of the city

Changes incorporated

·  Stronger reference to carbon reduction, LEZ study

·  More emphasis on pedestrianisation / car free zones

·  Freight vehicle restrictions supported

·  ‘Local P&R’ focussing on existing bus routes

·  Further work with Highways Agency and Wiltshire Council to address through traffic issue

Key Issues

·  Potential for interim bus-based Park and Ride to address commitment to eastern site

·  Mixed views on coach parking – city centre or periphery

·  Need to find a new site for coach drop off in city centre

·  Significant delivery programme needed for better accessibility e.g. walk and cycle networks

·  Use of the Public Realm and Movement Strategy to guide improvements

·  Funding is a key issue

Councillor Charles Gerrish commented on coach parking and advocated the temporary use Weston Island. He added that a proper drop off point was required for coaches delivering visitors to the city. He questioned whether part of the North Quays development could be considered an option.

Councillor Les Kew said that he was concerned by the bullet point ‘Funding is a key issue’. He said that he would expect the solutions to be sourced first of all.

Nick Richardson replied that he agreed, but that funding has an impact on the time it takes to deliver a solution.

Councillor Roger Symonds said that he wished to draw officer’s attention to the fourth bullet made by FOBRA relating to pedestrian access. He added that he hoped that the strategy would gain a cross party agreement. He stated that the city had a great public transport exchange at Southgate and that the strategy should focus more on buses.

He said he would have liked to have seen more in the strategy for cyclists and called for more road space to be allocated for them.

Councillor David Martin commented that he was pleased to see that air quality was being addressed and called for further information on PM10 levels.

The Strategic Director for Place commented that the Council were looking to incorporate a coach drop off point within the Enterprise Area. She said that an A36 / A46 link road was crucial and that discussions were on-going with the Highways Agency and Department for Transport. She added that an East of Bath Park & Ride was also vital, and that work has commenced to take these projects forward.

Councillor Anthony Clarke commented that he felt there were major gaps in the strategy and that the matter of North to South city travel needed to be addressed. He added that he believed strongly in cycling provision, but it should be recognised that this could not provide the whole solution to pollution.

Councillor Terry Gazzard said that he wished to raise concerns on behalf of Batheaston Parish Council about a proposed development at Colerne Airfield. He said he had been informed that Wiltshire have declared that transport acces to the development will come from Bannerdown Hill and the residents were concerned as this was already a congested area. He asked the Cabinet Member to defend our position and use any development funding on a link rad to the A420.

The Group Manager for Planning Policy & Transport replied that the Council has asked Wiltshire for any associated documents and are due to meet with them within a few weeks. He added that he would report back any progress to the Panel.

Councillor Caroline Roberts wished to reassure the Panel that they will discuss the development with Wiltshire.

She said that coach parking would be addressed and that funding for other projects would be sourced where possible.

The Chair summarised the points raised by the Panel.

·  Responses to the consultation could have been higher

·  Coach parking and a central drop off point needs to be resolved

·  Bus services must be improved

·  Wider road space required for cyclists

·  Air quality needs to be improved

·  North – South city travel should be addressed

The Panel RESOLVED to endorse the Getting Around Bath Transport Strategy and recommends that it be adopted by Council on 12th November 2014.