7 - Actions Required by Bath & North East Somerset
Council
7.1 Introduction
Earlier in this report, the step change between adoption of an
ideal vision and delivering a practical vision has been addressed
(Section 5.2). Although this study has been focussed on the
development of a tangible Transport Vision linked to both a
Strategy and series of measures in the longer term, B&NES will
need to progress a series of additional actions which, taken in
sequence, will ensure that the measures not yet formally identified
or detailed within the either the Local Plan or the Local Transport
Plan, are put in hand.
There is tacit acceptance that some if not all, of those actions
are radical in their approach but taken over a 20-year timescale
will be seen in 2020 to have been inevitable. In this context, we
draw attention to the public opposition to the introduction of
parking meters in Bath in the late 1960s, and the sustained
national opposition to the compulsory use of seat belts in the
1970s. Both measures are now seen to provide significant benefits.
More recently the B&NES decisions on parking and bus gates have
been subjected to substantial opposition but have been introduced
nonetheless, on the basis of managing traffic for the benefit of
the community. The actions listed below need to be seen in the same
light.
7.2 Specific Items for Action
The sequence of the items listed below is of some significance.
Throughout this report, the importance of providing timely and
adequate alternatives has been emphasised; the sequence of the
Councils actions is equally as important. Specifically, it relates
to the achievement of:
- Substantial cross party agreement of "The Vision" as an
acceptable approach to shaping the Transport Strategy, and a basis
for community leadership.
- A switch from public consultation towards a programme of
enlightenment of the public as to the consequential adverse impacts
of allowing uninhibited transport growth, leading to an endorsement
of the underlying principles of the Vision. This will involve
moving the preferences stated in the B&NES ‘voice box’ survey
to the reality of a full programme of restraint and revenue
generation improvements.
- Development and acceptance of the ‘accessibility criteria’, and
the means of their delivery through significant improvement of
public transport.
- Agreement with selected private sector partners of a
significant range of quality partnership arrangements, with the
view to developing quality contracts as they become proven tools in
the mid-term future.
- Introduction of schemes which reallocate road space use in
major corridors to reinforce and support the prioritisation of
movement in favour of public transport, pedestrians and cyclists
wherever possible.
- In conjunction with reallocation of priorities in main
corridors, to extend the provision of "home zone" arrangements to
other residential areas, to local shopping centres, in the
historical areas of the built environment, and in Western Riverside
(taking the opportunity of using this development as a spearhead
for demonstrating the community benefits) – "living zones". This to
be introduced hand-in-hand with more pedestrian friendly treatment
of freight vehicles entering these areas.
- Acceptance that parking revenues are recognised as a legitimate
means of raising revenue for cross-subsidy into other transport
measures, together with a serious examination of introducing
workplace charging to provide an enhanced revenue stream.
- Re-examination of the basic highway network to ensure that
"gaps" in the network are recognised.
- A comprehensive study of the value of introducing congestion
charging into the Bath area, both in terms of an effective tool to
moderate levels of congestion to environmental acceptability, and
as a by-product to generate significant levels of revenue,
ring-fenced for transport support schemes, either in terms of
subsidies for public transport or contribution to transport
infrastructure. (The Council may wish to review in detail the 5
year Plan for such activity in Edinburgh).
As mentioned above, this programme of activity is above and
beyond the existing
LTP programmes which will, in the study’s view, struggle to
maintain the status quo given the increasing traffic pressures.
Some elements of this additional programme can, and ought, to be
built into the programme for the Western Riverside Development and
be demonstration projects for the benefit of the
community.
