Issue - meetings

The Cabinet is asked to formally adopt the Journey to Net Zero: Reducing the Environmental Impact of Transport in Bath plan.

Cllr Sarah Warren introduced the report, moved the officer recommendation and made the following statement:

“In 2014, with cross party support, Bath & North East Somerset Council approved the Getting Around Bath Transport Strategy, setting out a vision and objectives for transport in Bath that recognised the importance of reducing carbon emissions, as well as restricting the intrusion of vehicles into the historic city centre. Following the council’s climate emergency declaration in 2019, Journey to Net Zero builds on that Strategy to flesh out a vision of a new transport system that will dramatically reduce transport carbon emissions from their current level of 29% of B&NES’ total. Transport is one of our top three priority areas for carbon reduction. Whilst this particular plan focuses primarily on the historic City of Bath with its unique transport challenges, it recognises throughout the importance of travel corridors between the city and the wider district.

We are all used to the convenience of driving our vehicles anywhere and at any time, but in the coming years, we need to make big changes to the way we move around. We understand, of course, that many people currently have no choice but to use their cars, as they don’t have safe cycle routes or footways they can use, or a suitable bus service. This plan provides a route map that will support future development of the facilities they will need, and as projects identified in this plan are developed, we will aim to quantify their carbon impacts.

This journey has already begun. We are already pursuing an ambitious, wide-ranging programme of projects, including construction of cycle lanes on Upper Bristol and Beckford Roads funded through the government’s Active Travel Scheme. We were also delighted to receive substantial funding to support the transport transition earlier this year, through both the City Region Sustainable Transport Fund, and the Bus Service Improvement Plan. However, we will need still further support from government (whose environmental aspirations still fail to take the Committee for Climate Change’s latest advice seriously enough) - in the form of both investment and local powers - to create a transport system fit for a climate emergency, as outlined in the plan before you this evening.

Our vision for transport into, out of, and around Bath will bring enormous benefits in other areas of life, too. We will see improvements in public health from reduced air pollution, and through routinely building exercise into our day, when we commute more actively. We will see students able to travel independently to school on safe cycle lanes and footpaths, or by bus, setting up good habits for life. We will provide secure cycle storage, with more opportunities to share, buy and lease bikes and e-bikes. And we will see pleasanter public and residential spaces for people to enjoy spending time in, as more of us find we have a practical alternative and choose to leave our vehicles at home.

Our heritage assets will be better preserved, and can be better  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67