Agenda item

The Service Manager for Highways & Parking will give the Panel a presentation on this matter.

Sylvia Green, Bath Cycling Club addressed the Panel, a copy of her statement is available of the Panel’s Minute Book, a summary is set out below.

She spoke of how she was a long term resident of Widcombe and knew the area very well. She said that she was aware that the Widcombe Association had for many years been working towards the closure of Widcombe Parade to through traffic in order to improve the experience of residents, but she felt that the discussions and tentative plans thus far would not achieve that aim for all users.

She stated that Bath Cycling Club is concerned over the lack of thinking about the needs of cyclists and would like to see a proper professional consultation before the plans were finalised. She added that of particular concern is the westward route from Pulteney Road as it is very problematic. If Rossiter Road becomes two way it will be very narrow and therefore dangerous for cyclists in both directions.

She suggested that the existing cycle lane be retained in its current direction as a contra-flow cycle lane through Widcombe Parade to solve the problem. She added that in a contra-flow lane the cyclist can see well in advance what is coming, can make eye contact with the driver and anticipate what action to take. She said that this proposal would also entail the minimum amount of building works to implement and therefore hoped it could be incorporated into the final plans.

Roger Houghton addressed the Panel, a copy of his statement is available of the Panel’s Minute Book, a summary is set out below.

He said that it was difficult to comment on the current proposal for Rossiter Road as since the scheme was approved at Cabinet last July all discussion had subsequently been held in private with no opportunity for public participation. He said he would therefore like to make a more general criticism, about how in B&NES such schemes continue to be treated as traffic management rather than urban design issues.

He commented that in Bath the project had been handled largely by Highways, with a traffic-led solution based on modelling (modelling which has a less than perfect record for accurate prediction). Halcrow was employed as a consultant — an organisation whose expertise lies more in engineering than in urban design and even understood that Highways had insisted that the Rossiter Road scheme be designed to a 40 mph standard, despite being a 30 mph road.

He said that in Ashford, by contrast, a multi-disciplinary team had been led by renowned urban design company Whitelaw Turkington. Bristol-based Ben Hamilton Baillie provided advice on shared space (regrettably I'm told that B&NES's Highways officers have fallen out with Hamilton Baillie and his ideas). The decision was taken to adopt shared space as the fundamental design philosophy.

He said that for Widcombe, having waited 30 years for a solution to its traffic problems the temptation is to argue that anything must be better than nothing. Unfortunately what's on offer seems to be more a missed opportunity, a flawed solution that will leave the essential nature of Claverton Street unchanged — as a road carrying through traffic, albeit at levels of 10 or 20 years ago.

He commented that there had not been much, if any, effort put into improving access to Widcombe for pedestrians or cyclists and that Rossiter Road will remain a physical and psychological barrier between it and the city centre.

He stated that there was increasing evidence that local economies will gain far more from encouraging cycle and pedestrian visitors than from appeasing car users, particularly for cafés and licensed premises. Widcombe, at the end of the canal towpath, was ideally placed to benefit from a cycling economy but this scheme will do little to help.

The Chairman asked what plans were there for consultation on the proposed scheme.

Councillor Caroline Roberts, Cabinet Member for Transport replied that a steering group for the scheme exists and that a public exhibition was planned to take place.

The Service Manager for Highways & Parking gave the Panel a presentation on this item. He first of all stated that it was not solely a Highways scheme.

Design

Natural desire to make the area pedestrian friendly

Avoid traffic to Lyncombe Hill having to do a loop of the Parade

U-turn facility only for vehicles under 7 tonnes

Aware of cycling provision and working towards a solution

Costs

£1.8m – Cost of the whole scheme

(£1.35m – Construction works)

(£200,000 – Contingency fund)

(£250,000 – Staff / Modelling / Consultation)

Programme

Current Position – Detail Design Stage

Sept 2013 – January 2014 – Contract documents

February 2014 – Issue tenders

July 2014 – Commence construction

October 2014 / November 2014 – Scheme completed

He said that some Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO’s) would be in place while work was on-going as well as works undertaken by the utilities companies. He added that notices regarding diversions would be put in place on site as soon as was possible.

Nigel Sherwin addressed the Panel. He said that he was concerned as he felt the current proposal would take the cyclists onto a very busy route. He asked for the contra-flow to not be turned into a car park.

The Service Manager for Highways & Parking said that he would be more than happy to discuss the matter with the members of the public after the meeting.

Councillor Lisa Brett wished to congratulate the Cabinet Member for Transport for bringing this scheme forward.

Councillor David Martin asked what effect the scheme will have on the queues of traffic on Pulteney Road and could they be made acceptable through signal management.

The Service Manager for Highways & Parking confirmed that Halcrow have considered this matter and that traffic signals can be modified if required at peak times of traffic.

Councillor David Martin asked if the proposals for Dorchester Street had been considered alongside this scheme.

The Service Manager for Highways & Parking that yes it had and that as part of the project it will be assessed and reviewed.

The Chairman asked for the Panel to be updated on the scheme at its November meeting.

The Service Manager for Highways & Parking replied that he would provide this for them.