Date published: 2025-06-02 | Category: Roads, travel and transport, Somer Valley, Tackling the climate and ecological emergency, Transport and Development
The next steps for a wide-ranging transport project benefitting much of Bath & North East Somerset are outlined below.
Following a six-week public consultation in February and March this year, Bath & North East Somerset Council received many responses from communities across Bath & North East Somerset providing vital feedback on the Somer Valley Links (SVL) proposals. These included new mobility hubs, significant bus infrastructure improvements and nearly a kilometre of new bus lanes. In addition, substantial changes to the walking, wheeling, and cycling network were proposed with the aim of making sustainable travel more accessible and convenient for all.
Having listened to residents, it has been decided to prioritise the interventions proposed across three phases. The first of these is expected to be delivered during 2026 and will see benefits for many communities from more travel choices with bus infrastructure improvements and mobility hubs introduced. The second phase complement interventions from the first, if more City Regional Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) funding becomes available.
We will now pause to consider and review the interventions included in phase three, including proposals on the A367 Wellsway, to determine how they will be developed in the context of the new Local Plan. The council needs to plan for growth, including housing growth, and this requires our transport strategy for Somer Valley residents to be considered in more depth. Public consultation for Bath & North East Somerset Council's Local Plan begins later this year.
Sophie Broadfield, Executive Director of Sustainable Communities, said: “We will proceed with the first phase of schemes, with important interventions at locations including Bear Flat, which will see public realm improvements alongside the proposed transport interventions. These proposals will see bus journey times reduce and additional safety for pedestrians in the area, such as students attending Beechen Cliff School.
“This is in addition to various other schemes in the area such as Liveable Neighbourhoods, Scholars' Way improvements and on Bloomfield Road which will improve travel options to the south of Bath.”
Somer Valley Links covers an area from Whitchurch southwards through Pensford, Clutton, Temple Cloud and Farrington Gurney, then moving through the Somer Valley (Midsomer Norton, Radstock and Peasedown St. John) and northwards into Bath via Odd Down and A367 Wellsway.
The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority is responsible for distributing the UK Government’s CRSTS funds to viable schemes in the region. Its members, including the West of England Mayor and leaders from the Mayoral Combined Authority’s three constituent councils: Bath & North East Somerset Council, Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire Council.
To find out more about Somer Valley Links, or to sign up to alerts on the project, visit: www.bathnes.gov.uk/SVL.
To stay informed on the latest transport developments across Bath & North East Somerset, including Somer Valley Links, check out our interactive Transport Action Map: https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/transport-action-map.