Agenda item

A RoSPA report published in November 2011 recommended provision of edge protection along an 850m stretch of the northern public footpath on the River Avon, east of Windsor Bridge in Bath.  This report requests the release of capital funding to complete the installation of safety fencing before the 2012/13 financial year end.

Sarah Moore, a member of the public, asked

(1)  what provision would be made for anglers in the new safety arrangements? A fence would prevent them from fishing and the stretch of the river where it would be erected was used particularly by low-income people who were not members of fishing clubs.

(2)  Were similar safety measures being considered for the other bank? In the recent heavy rain flooding had been worse in front of Western Riverside than where it was proposed to erect stretch of the river by

Councillor David Dixon in proposing the item, said that it resulted from the tragic deaths by drowning of a number of young people in the river. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) had been commissioned to produce a report, which had recommended the installation of edge protection along a stretch of the river. Funding would come from the Council’s budget, to be recouped through the section 106 agreement with Crest Nicholson. There would also be a £5,000 contribution from Bath Spa University. The plan was for a tubular fence with ladders down to the river. The ladders would be painted in a distinctive colour, so that they could be quickly identified by anyone who had fallen into the river. The main reason for choosing a fence was the height of the bank above the river and the consequent steep drop. The fence would be protection for pedestrians who stumbled and fell and for cyclists, who could make a misjudgement and end up in the river. It was not a complete solution, but it was a means for preventing further tragedies. The scheme had been progressed faster than even RoSPA had expected.

Councillor Beath seconded the proposal and said that the river was an important feature in Bath. She said that the rising of the river onto the steps down from Bath Western Riverside was actually a form of flood mitigation. She agreed that access to the river should be provided for anglers and hoped that the proposed scheme would allow that. However, it was a dangerous section of the river.

Councillor Crossley asked that discussions should take place with angling bodies to ensure that the fence had gates in the right places.

Councillor Ball said children congregated in large numbers to fish, most of them west of Windsor Bridge. The fishing season coincided with the time when the river was lower and the drop from the bank greater. Their safety needed to be ensured.

Councillor Romero asked who was responsible for the maintenance of life rings.

Councillor Dixon said that he would ensure that officers met with angling associations before the design of the fence was finalised. However, there could be no question of compromising safety for the sake of anglers. In reply to Councillor Romero, he said that landowners were responsible for maintaining life rings. Unfortunately, it was sometimes not worthwhile installing them because they were stolen; life rings installed by Crest Nicholson had disappeared within a few weeks. Life ropes were more satisfactory than rings. Additional safety measures were clear signage and making sure that the ladders from the banks down to the river were conspicuous.

On a motion from Councillor David Dixon, seconded by Councillor Beath, it was

RESOLVED (unanimously)

(1) To APPROVE £140k for inclusion in the 2012/13 capital programme to allow the safety fencing to be installed before the end of 2012/13 financial year end; and

(2) To AGREE that as part of this, £40k is released from capital contingency to be recouped in 2018/19 through s.106 funding from the Bath Western Riverside Corporate Agreement.