Agenda item

The Council’s Transport Strategies for Bath, Keynsham and Somer Valley have identified the transport improvements required.  The Council have successfully bid to The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) for funds to develop four key transport schemes and approval is requested to include the schemes in the Councils programme from 2017/18 to 2019/20.

Councillor Dine Romero made an ad-hoc statement by expressing her concern that the Council would not get what they should from WECA funding.  Councillor Romero also said that it would be useful to know what criteria were used for selecting one scheme over another.  Councillor Romero expressed her concern that all current schemes were focused entirely on roads and road improvements and nothing had been considered on sustainable travel and other transport options.  Councillor Romero concluded her statement by suggesting that East of Bath Link should be called North-South connection study.

Councillor Patrick -Anketell-Jones made an ad-hoc statement by welcoming the Freezing Hill junction improvement which would help getting people to Lansdown Park and Ride quicker and easier.  Councillor Anketell-Jones also said that the road from Park and Ride continues to Lansdown Road which had seen noticeable increase in traffic in recent years, and suggested that any calculation on traffic levels should not just stop at the Park and Ride but should include the roads towards the city centre.

Councillor Charles Gerrish introduced the report by saying that the Council had successfully bid to The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) for funds to develop key highway projects. On 30^th October 2017 WECA had approved funding to develop schemes for:

1)  East of Bath Link, £250k

2)  A37 to A362 Improvements to access Somer Valley Enterprise Zone,  £280k

3)  Hicks Gate Roundabout Improvement, £460k

4)   Freezing Hill Lane Junction Improvement, £100k

The four schemes were linked to the strategic improvements identified in the West of England Joint Transport Study and The Council Transport Strategies for Bath, Keynsham and Somer Valley. The schemes would provide significant benefits in reducing delays to vehicles using the Highway Network. The schemes were identified through the Council Transport Strategies and JTS, as the schemes were developed the options would be reviewed.

Councillor Charles Gerrish moved the recommendations.

Councillor Bob Goodman seconded the motion by saying that these four schemes were the right decision for residents of Bath and North East Somerset area.  Councillor Goodman also said that he understood the concerns raised by Councillor Romero though this was just a beginning of a process, and transport developments would follow once road improvements were in place.

Councillor Paul May said that he would support the report.  Councillor May also said that major consultation had been taking place on development in Whitchurch, and although that development would have significant highway impact on the village, there was no feasibility study on A37/A4 link.  The community from Whitchurch and neighbouring villages would not know the exact impact due to the lack of the study.  Councillor May also highlighted that if A350 improvements were going ahead then there would be significant impact on villages around A37 (starting from Farrington Gurney towards Whitchurch).  Councillor May concluded his statement by expressing his concern that original JSP had highlighted need for housing and roads though, at the moment, housing had been going ahead and there was little information about roads.

The rest of the Cabinet welcomed the report and approved funding for proposed schemes. 

RESOLVED (unanimously) the Cabinet agreed to approve:

(1)  the inclusion of the two new schemes listed below into the Capital Programme:

a)  A37 to A362 Improvements to access Somer Valley Enterprise Zone, Business Case Development, £280k

b)  Hicks Gate Roundabout Improvement, Business Case Development, £460k

(2)  the inclusion into the Revenue Budget of the two studies listed below:

a)  East of Bath Link, Development Support, £250k

b)  Freezing Hill Lane Junction Improvement, Feasibility and  Business Case Development,  £100k