Council set to secure massive transport investment boost

Bath and North East Somerset Council are on the verge of securing almost €4 million of European Commission funding for innovative transport projects
in Bath.

With a Council contribution and match funding from partners the total project will invest €6.5 million to improve transport in the city.

The Council joined with four other historic European cities - Perugia in Italy, Szczecinek in Poland, Gorna in Bulgaria and Skopje in Macedonia to bid for the funding through the European Commission CIVITAS Plus programme.

The bid will support sustainable transport strategies in Bath. In addition to the European Commission funding the Council will contribute €1.2 million. and seven local partners will contribute €1.3 million.

A four year programme of work on the schemes will begin in September this year. The successful projects will become a permanent feature of Bath’s transport system.

Details of the Programme

• The setting up of a freight transhipment depot on the edge of Bath where retail goods bound for the city can be consolidated, in order to reduce the number of HGVs delivering into the city centre;
• The introduction of hybrid vehicles for the city car club as well as cycle hire initiatives such as a park and cycle scheme involving conventional and powered bikes;
• A trial for a ‘green’ fuel bus suitable for use in historic cities;
• Improved transport information and signage in Bath;
• Demand management in the city centre;
• Improving the environment of a demonstration area in the city’s main shopping streets;
• A study into a personal rapid transit system for central Bath;
• Satellite bus-tracking technology to help provide real-time information for travellers.
  
  Partners

There are around 30 partner organisations in the project. The seven which are in the Bath area are:

• University of West of England - Evaluation
• ACIS ( Advanced Communication & Information Systems Ltd) -
  Vehicle Tracking
• ATS (Advanced Transport Systems Ltd) - Personal Rapid Transit Study
• City Car Club ( Smart Moves Ltd ) -
  Car Club
• Bicincitta (Comunicare s.r.l.) - Cycle hire
• Powabyke Ltd - Powered Cycles
• First Somerset and Avon Public Transport Operator - Alternative fuels

"This is excellent news for Bath and North East Somerset Council. Our bid demonstrated a combination of imagination and innovation, subsequently resulting in a substantial funding award from the European Commission alongside our European partners. The Council’s vision priority, amongst others, of improving transport and the public realm will be given a boost by this funding. We especially welcome the extensive involvement of our local partners whose substantial funding contribution alongside the Council’s will offer the city a unique opportunity to manage future traffic management challenges."

Councillor Charles Gerrish (Conservative, Keynsham North), Cabinet Member for Customer Services.