Decision details

Heavy Goods Vehicles travelling through Bath has been a concern for many years, particularly along A4 London Road and A36 Bathwick Street.  Local residents are concerned about the contribution made by HGVs to poor air quality, road safety issues and intimidation experienced by vulnerable road users within the Bath World Heritage Site. 

An 18 tonne environmental weight restriction is proposed for vehicles turning between A36 Bathwick St and A36 Beckford Road, in both directions.  This proposal will reduce the contribution that HGVs make towards poor air quality in an air quality management area, congestion and intimidation by traffic.  A further ban on U turning traffic is proposed extending ¼ mile south of this junction, including the A36 Pulteney Rd/Bathwick Hill roundabout.  This is to prevent  HGV’s avoiding the turning ban

An experimental traffic regulation order is proposed to allow the impact of the proposed weight restriction on alternative routes to be monitored before a decision is taken whether to modify, suspend or make the order permanent.

(1) To AGREE that subject to consultation with affected local highway authorities, the police, the Highway Agency, Freight Transport Association and Road Haulage Association: 

i) A local experimental environmental 18 tonne weight restriction be made for a period not exceeding 18 months under Section 1 of Traffic Regulation Act 1984 on the A36 Primary Route in the left hand turning lane on the A36 Bathwick Street approach to the A36 Beckford Road junction and in the central right turning lane on the A36 Beckford Road approach to the A36 Bathwick Street with an exemption for emergency services;

ii) An experimental ‘U’ turn prohibition be made for a period not exceeding 18 months under Section 1 of Traffic Regulation Act 1984 on the A36 Primary Route on Darlington Street and Pulteney Road for a distance of ¼ mile in a southbound direction from the junction of Darlington Street with Sydney Place with an exemption for emergency services;

(2) To DELEGATE authority to the Group Manager Planning and Transport Policy to modify or suspend the operation of the order, or any part of it, in accordance with Section 10 Traffic Regulation Act 1984 in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Service Delivery.

The proposals will reduce congestion and pollution on the A4 and A36 through Bath by reducing through HGV traffic movements. An experimental Traffic Regulation Order will allow before and after monitoring to take place to establish the impact of the weight restriction before a final decision is made

The Bristol to South Coast Study considered options for building a link road between the A46 and the A36 to remove through traffic from Bath, and, whilst there are significant benefits for road users, the cost and environmental impact of a link road are also significant and should be considered as a last resort