More bus lanes planned for the London Road and Walcot Street

Now I am all for getting people out of cars and onto public transport, but the latest plans for the London Road is something that all resident and business owners need to be very much aware of.

Some of you will have read about the Rapid Transport Link proposal; which, in theory will be a designated bus `red route` linking a Park and Ride on the east side of the city and the Park and Ride at Newbridge on the west side of the city.

There is a severe shortage of explanation as to exactly how this bus lane is to be accommodated all along the London Road, then up London Street and down Walcot Street; then passing right round the Guildhall which will be totally bus gated against ordinary traffic (including Grand Parade and all delivery access to the Guildhall Market).

The simple fact is that the present bus lane on London Road is highly dangerous. At least three serious accidents in as many years, and any widening or extension of the bus lane must involve road widening.

On this side of the city we must find out what the implications are; will the green space in front of Grosvenor will be narrowed or taken away? Will the same happen at Kensington and the front gardens at Lower East Hayes will be shortened?

The pavement could all but disappear at Walcot Buildings and Walcot Terrace, where any form of loading or unloading will probably be banned. The same could apply at Longacre.

All parking will have to be banned on Walcot Street: which will effectively close all the small businesses there. Deliveries for Guildhall Market traders will be all but impossible and businesses on Grand Parade and Pulteney Bridge will also be affected.

So after fifty years of debate about traffic; has the council has finally decided that the final solution to Bath`s traffic problem is to kill off London Road Walcot Street, the High Street, Grand Parade and Pulteney Bridge as places to live and work?

As your local councillors we will be doing all that is possible to ensure that local residents and businesses are kept informed of what the proposals are, highways planners have alread agreed to meet up and walk the route to discuss possible issues that will arise.

Vision for Snow Hill and London Road

At the most recent board meeting of the London Road and Snow Hill Partnership, Lawrence Buabeng, who is spearheading the proposed Skills and Enterprise project for Snow Hill which is part of the broader Vision for Bath Project; told the meeting that the sum of £1000 had been donated by a resident on Snow Hill. The meeting was told that the resident, who has expressed a wish to remain anonymous, had saved the money from his wages.
The donation, which was in the form of a building society cheque, will be paid into the
LRSHP holding fund for the Skills and Enterprise Project. The meeting expressed the unanimous hope that other donors would come forward with similar, if more modest help, and that the B&NES would offer to match this very real and major step forward.

Cllr David Dixon said, "I for one will be looking at ways that this donation can be best supported by the Council, a clear vision and action plan is what is needed for the London Road and Snow Hill Area which should build on previous work undertaken by the Council in 2003."

Youth Volunteering Scheme on the horizon

Councillor David Dixon is working on a scheme for young people in Walcot to earn rewards such as trips away, go karting and paint balling.

Cllr Dixon said, "Last month we took a group of young people go karting, which was very successful and resulted in organisations across the area agreeing that a scheme should be set up to get young people to positively contribute to their local area and in reward we will organise free activities for them. It is hope to get support from the local police, council and other local organisations to get the scheme off the ground."

The model will be focussed around Timebank, whereby people give some time and in return receive time back from other people, in this case they will get time back in the way of incentives.

It is hoped to get young people involved initially in improving their local environment and through small scale time committments.

The scheme will be based from the Riverside Youth Centre and Councillor David Dixon is currently looking for funding opportunities to see this through.

Concert for Cleveland Pools

Concert for Cleveland Pools

Walcot State Choir and Friends

St Mary's Church, Bathwick

7.30pm Wednesday 9th July