Date published: 2024-03-22 | Category: Roads, travel and transport, Parking and Travel, Delivering for local residents, Giving people a bigger say, Environment and Clean Air, Tackling the climate and ecological emergency, Bath
Construction work is set to start on a trial through-traffic restriction in Sydney Road, Bath, to stop motorists from using the street as a short cut, and to create a safer and more pleasant walking and cycling route through the area.
The trial scheme in Sydney Road at its junction with New Sydney Place follows consultation and co-design workshops on the Liveable Neighbourhood programme, to develop a range of measures to improve residential streets in Bath and North East Somerset.
Work on the scheme will start from Tuesday 2 April and will take up to two weeks to complete.
Once work is complete, the through-traffic restriction will remain in place for a minimum of six months under an experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO).
During this time, the council will monitor the impact of the trial on traffic and air quality and is inviting feedback in a public consultation.
Councillor David Wood, Deputy Council Leader and cabinet member for Council Priorities & Delivery, said: “Three through-traffic restriction trials are already in place as part of our Liveable Neighbourhood programme. They have shown us that the best method of introducing Liveable Neighbourhood proposals is via an ETRO because this gives us time to monitor the impacts of the scheme and for people to respond to the changes, before any permanent changes are adopted. People can complete a questionnaire at any point during the six-month trial."
The scheme comprises a row of bollards in Sydney Road at its junction with New Sydney Place and Sydney Mews with vehicle access to properties from either side of the restriction. Two central bollards can be removed for access by the emergency services. On-street parking in the area will be unaffected, but some temporary suspensions are required during construction.
To complement the scheme, the council will also remove the dedicated left-turn filter lane on Warminster Road (into Sydney Road) and narrow the North Road and Sydney Road junctions with Warminster Road to slow turning traffic and improve pedestrian safety.
Work will begin between 2-10 April on the junctions with Warminster Road, involving the closing of the Sydney Road and North Road junctions during works. Access to North Road and Sydney Road is from the south (via Bathwick Hill) during this time. Diversions will be signed on the street and footways remain open.
Once the Warminster Road work is complete and the junctions are re-opened, the bollards will be installed across Sydney Road at the junction with New Sydney Place and Sydney Mews from 10-12 April. Some temporary parking restrictions will apply during the works. Footways remain open.
A detailed construction schedule is available online at www.bathnes.gov.uk/sydneyroadetro outlining the works and additional restrictions in place in more detail.
Letters have gone out to residents outlining how to have their say during the trial and the additional restrictions which will apply during construction.
Around 200 people attended a pre-consultation event on 20 March at the Guildhall where residents were invited to find out more about the six-month trial, how the scheme will be monitored and evaluated and the construction works programme.
To find out more about the public consultation and to complete a questionnaire from the beginning of April (once work is complete), visit www.bathnes.gov.uk/sydneyroadetro. Information is also available at local library and information services and in alternative formats on request.
ENDS