In recent years, the Council has developed a public realm and movement strategy, which sets out the key principles to transform the streets and spaces of Bath's city centre. The strategy accomodates the needs of a modern city while respecting the cultural and architectural heritage.
Bath's development and success as a city dating back to the early 18th century has been as a destination for leisure. With its Theatre, numerous restaurants and forthcoming casino development, Saw Close is highlighted in the strategy as the optimum location to build on this rich social history and create a lively and stimulating public area.
Saw Close as a shared space
Saw Close experiences low vehicle traffic but is a busy pedestrian area that is largely occupied by carriageway. Our proposals are for a shared space environment; this will see the road narrowed to slow vehicle traffic and encourage pedestrians to make more use of the space, helping to realise this area as a destination for cultural events, social activity and nightlife.
Features of a shared space environment include:
- Pedestrians and cyclists have freedom to use the space, rather than being restricted to specific areas.
- A flush surface across the area rather than traditional kerbs. This improves the ability of people with pushchairs or those with disabilities to move through the space without needing to find specific crossing points.
- A reduction in conventional 'street clutter' such as road signs and an increase in beneficial street furniture such as public seating.
For more information, please see our leaflet 'Creating a space for everyone'.
Project development
The proposed design for Saw Close was made publicly available at an event in the Guildhall on 11 July 2016. To see the history and development of Saw Close and how our project is intended to take this area forward as a key public space, please view the exhibition panels from the documents section.
Latest news
The first stage of highway works started on 22 May 2017. We will be carrying out construction in phases within the highway boundary, including footways. All businesses including the Theatre Royal will be accessible during the works, however some road clsoures may be necessary at times with diversions in place. Completion of the public realm works is expected Spring 2018.
Page updated 8 August 2017
