Decision details

Scholars Way is an Active Travel route comprising an eastern and western section, proposing to link the University of Bath, Combe Down & St Martins School, via Mulberry Park and a potential extension to Odd Down. Following approval of the Budget and Council Tax 2024/25 report, this will fully approve £2m, funded by revenue held in the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) reinvestment reserve, focussed on delivery of the western section. This includes road links with pedestrian and cycle crossings, new parallel crossings, new toucan crossings for pedestrian and cycles and new cycleways and shared footpaths.

(1)  To approve capital budget of £2m, fully funded by the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) reinvestment reserve, for the Western section of Scholars Way (Combe Down village to Frome Road).

(2)  To note that the remaining interventions in the Eastern section are proposed to progress through Final Business Case (FBC) stage to be submitted to WECA, in order to establish the evidence base for securing funding for delivery and construction. Should a decision be taken for the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) to fund construction of the Eastern section, agreement has been reached with the West of England Combined Authority that the £2m investment in the Western Section will be counted as BANES local match to that investment.

(3)  To delegate authority to the Executive Director of Sustainable Communities, in consultation with the s151 Officer, to formally accept any future grants from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority or other funding body, relating to this scheme.

(4)  To note the delivery of one crossing (Bathwick Hill, at Oakley/Copseland) and the progression of necessary approvals and final design for another (at Ralph Allen School) in the Eastern Section through the Highways programme for 2024/25.

The Western section being brought forward with this funding, comprises a new walking, wheeling and cycling route from Combe Road to St Martins Garden Primary School, via Mulberry Park, Foxhill and Entry Hill, including off-road sections and improved pedestrian and cycle crossings.

It is a significant section to be delivered from the Council’s emerging Active Travel Masterplan.

The Western section with the interventions detailed in the full report will deliver benefits to the communities and residential areas through which it passes. This will be further enhanced as and when the Eastern section is delivered in future.

The outcomes that the scheme is expected to deliver are:

o  Increased walking and cycling

o  Increased provision of active travel routes to key locations and services

o  Improved access to employment, training and education

o  Improved journey quality for active travel trips

o  Improved ease of crossing the road

o  Reduced car use

o  Connection towards Somer Valley Links, the strategic City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement corridor project through Odd Down

o  Future connections to housing developments in the area

o  Facilitating access to the Entry Hill Green Space project (former golf course)

o  Interfaces with the Entry Hill Liveable Neighbourhoods proposals

The option to keep seeking a source of funding for the whole proposed route was considered high risk to deliver within the CRSTS grant timescale of March 2027.

The option to delay until full funding is secured carries risks of the designs becoming out of date, with further design work and public consultation needed; inability to use section 106 funding from the Mulberry Park development for the section on Bradford Road; and inflation increases on all construction costs.

The option for the Council to progress the whole scheme with capital budget allocations through the Capital programme budget-setting process was considered unaffordable and unviable amongst other Council priorities.