1. B&NES Cabinet at its meeting on 18 December postponed a decision on the Bath Clean Air Zone (CAZ), citing an unprecedented number of responses to the consultation. The Cabinet is to receive a further report with costed and modelled options, including a range of mitigation measures. The aim is to consider an updated report in March 2019, leaving little time for decisions before the election purdah period which begins on 18 March.
2. An article in the Chronicle reported that B&NES is studying the possible use of one carriageway of the A4 Batheaston bypass as an eastern Park and Ride. It appears that only 100 spaces are being considered, which would not make much difference in terms of traffic interception. It will make no difference unless B&NES restricts parking and/or traffic in Bath.
3. A 700 space car park on the Rec would swamp the effect of a small P&R. FOBRA wrote to the Chronicle on 13 December about the potentially serious impacts on traffic and Council parking revenue of a car park at Bath Rugby. This could only work if an equal number of Council visitor parking spaces in the central area were removed; otherwise it would simply lead to increased traffic coming into the city centre.
4. Van DuBose, Robin and I, representing the Bath Alliance for Transport and Public Realm, met David Carter, Head of Infrastructure at the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), on 9 January to discuss the transport issues in Bath in relation to the next Joint Local Transport Plan (JLTP 4). It was a useful opportunity to establish contact and discuss issues such as the coverage of Bath transport issues in JLTP4 and the scope for improving public transport.
Patrick Rotheram, Transport Lead
9 January 2019