Date published: 2025-12-19 | Category: Delivering for local residents, Giving people a bigger say, Roads, travel and transport, Tackling the climate and ecological emergency, Liveable Neighbourhoods
Councillors are being asked to decide on whether to make an experimental traffic restriction in central Bath permanent.
A report has been published detailing the outcomes of the trial scheme in the Lower Lansdown and The Circus Liveable Neighbourhood (LN) area.
In it Bath & North East Somerset Cabinet Members Councillor Joel Hirst, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport Strategy and Councillor Manda Rigby, Cabinet Member for Communications and Community are being asked to consider the trial’s outcomes, and whether to make the schemes permanent.
The trials were installed under the council’s Liveable Neighbourhoods scheme which aims to reduce congestion, improve air quality and create space for those who wish to walk, wheel or cycle. In November 2024 following extensive public consultation, three linked trials were introduced to curb through-traffic:
- Catharine Place: Through-traffic restriction
- Gay Street: No entry from George Street, with left-turn only onto George Street
- Winifred’s Lane: Through-traffic restriction, plus no right turn into Sion Hill (East) from the top of Cavendish Road.
These changes target shortcuts to and from the A46/M4, reducing the dominance of vehicles in the Lower Lansdown area.
The report before councillors says in November 2021, communities were asked to describe the issues they experienced and what measures could help to improve the area where they live. The most common issues cited from people in the area were through traffic (69%), speeding traffic (61%), parking (33%) and school-run traffic (33%). 61% of those responding to the survey went on to say that a restriction on through traffic would have the most impact in addressing these issues.
Attached to the report, and for consideration by the councillors, are the detailed outcomes of the six-month public consultation surveys, traffic and air quality monitoring, and the significant community engagement conducted with key stakeholders, including schools.
Should a decision be made to make the trials permanent, the report recommends several mitigations, including that Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras are proposed for installation at the Cavendish Road/Sion Hill junction and at the Upper Gay Street/George Street junction to support compliance with the scheme, subject to separate public consultation.
It also recommends a review of signage at the northern end of Winifred’s Lane to reinforce the no-entry for motor vehicles and cyclists, and a revised parking scheme in Sion Road to improve passing places and visibility for motorists.
This scheme is the latest trial introduced under the Liveable Neighbourhood programme. Previous trials include through-traffic restrictions in Queen Charlton Lane (Saltford ward), Southlands (Weston ward) and Church Street (Widcombe ward) which were made permanent in 2022; plus the trial in New Sydney Place and Sydney Road (Bathwick) which was made permanent in 2025.
To see the Single Member Decision report go to the council website
ENDS