Decision details

In June 2012 Cabinet agreed early design proposals for the Rossiter Road Scheme.  The proposed scheme has now been published for consultation and objections were received.  The Cabinet member for Highways is therefore required to decide whether to proceed with the proposals to update the existing road layout and pedestrian measures.

The Cabinet member agrees that:-

1.1  It is recommended that the existing Traffic Regulation Orders shown on Drawing No.TC8821/TRO/01 are revoked with the exceptions described in paragraphs 1.4 and 1.7 below.

1.2  It is recommended that the proposed Traffic Regulation Orders shown on Drawing No.TC8821/TRO/02B are approved for implementation with the following amendments and recommendations.

1.3  TRO Amendment No.1 - Traders have doubted the value of a 20 minutes limited waiting period so it is recommended that the TRO is amended to increase the waiting period to one hour in the layby at the west end of Widcombe Parade.

1.4  TRO Amendment No.2 and Revocation Amendment No.1 - It is recommended that, in response to informal feedback from traders, a loading facility is provided on the south side of Widcombe Parade. This would be made available for public parking during evenings and weekends but reserved for deliveries at other times. The current no waiting at any time restriction along this section of Widcombe Parade will be excluded from the revocation of the existing TRO’s pending the advertising of a new TRO for a loading facility.

1.5  TRO Amendment No.3 - A request for an extension of the 20mph speed limit on Prior Park Road was made by a member of the Steering Group in February 2015. The current start of the 20mph speed limit is at the immediate approach to the double mini roundabout at the end of Prior Park Road and it is recommended that it is extended south along Prior Park Road to the junction with Prior Park Cottages. Consideration will be given to extending it much further south to the junction with Perrymead but this will require a separate TRO process.

1.6  TRO Amendment No.4 - It is recommended that the request for the removal of one or more of the proposed two footway build outs/crossing points so that more parking spaces can be provided is rejected as the build outs have been provided to enhance the environment, facilitate safer crossings, calm traffic and encourage people to walk to Widcombe and use Widcombe Parade. However, it is recommended that additional parking space is achieved by reducing the width of the footway build outs at these locations.

1.7  TRO Amendment No.5 and Rovocation Amendment No.2 - In order to be successful as a drop-off facility for the Bath Spa railway station, the Rossiter Road drop-off will require a high turn-over.  A 20 minutes waiting period would undermine its effectiveness and it is recommended that a parking and loading ban is promoted similar to the lay-by currently available adjacent to the bus entrance to the bus station at Broad Quay which has traffic signs and road markings indicating exclusive use as a pick up or set down only. The current no waiting at any time restriction along this section of Rossiter Road will be excluded from the revocation of the existing TRO’s pending advertising of a new TRO for the parking and loading ban.

1.8  The following recommendations relate to representations from and meetings with local Councillors, traders, residents and other interested parties concerning issues that are  indirectly associated with the TRO’s.

1.9  Recommendations Nos.1 and 2 - An area parking review is scheduled to take place during the second half of 2015.  The Council will be conducting a review of on-street parking and will be consulting residents and businesses. It is recommended that consideration is given to opportunities to re-balance resident and short stay parking within walking distance of Widcombe Parade such as reducing the two hours free on-street parking to one hour to increase the turn-over. However, there is significant tension between resident and short stay parking so there is no guarantee that any more short stay parking will be acceptable. It is also recommended that consideration is given to the results of monitoring the first few months of on-street parking in Widcombe following completion of the scheme.

1.10Recommendations Nos 3 and 4 - It is recommended that the existing pay and display arrangement of up to 2 hours charged parking in the Widcombe Car Park is retained. However, some improvements to the existing layout are recommended including better signing from Rossiter Road, relocation and widening of the disabled parking space and the provision of one further parking space on the new entrance to the car park. It is recommended that the Car Club parking space is retained in its existing location as it is a well used facility.

1.11Recommendation No. 5 - It is recommended that the request for the removal of the bollards which are proposed along the west section of the northern footway of Widcombe Parade and the east section of the southern footway and cycle lane along Widcombe Parade should be rejected. There is an existing record of illegal and dangerous parking on the existing cycle lane and footway and the scheme should not replicate or fail to address this issue. The scheme should aim to prioritise the maintenance and improvement of pedestrian and cyclist facilities.

One of the key aspirations of the scheme is the regeneration of Widcombe Parade. The Rossiter Road Steering Group, the Widcombe Residents Association and representatives of local traders are very concerned about retaining as much parking as possible and see this issue as essential for the future success of the scheme. Many of the traders believe that the level of parking provision within the scheme is critical to their livelihoods. However, there has to be a balanced approach between the parking provision which could encourage trips by car and the provision of facilities to encourage people to walk and cycle to Widcombe.

The scheme will encourage people to cycle to Widcombe by providing a contraflow cycle lane along the south side of Widcombe Parade and new cycle parking at each end. Where there is sufficient space for vehicle doors to be opened without encroaching into the cycle lane, roadside parking has been provided. Where the layout does not allow parking on this side, bollards will be installed to prevent vehicles illegally blocking the cycleway.

The scheme has been developed over a long period of time and a number of options have been considered. Traffic modelling indicates that the scheme presented for approval offers the best performance in peak periods without compromising the measures put in place elsewhere around the city to relieve congestion and traffic queues. However, the modelling shows that the double mini roundabout proposed at the junction of Widcombe Parade, Prior Park Road and Widcombe Hill may require conversion to a traffic signal controlled junction at some point in the future in order to avoid peak period queues backing up along Widcombe Parade and Rossiter Road thereby threatening the performance of the Churchill Bridge roundabout and access into and exit from the city centre.