Following a public consultation held in December 2025, we are introducing several measures in the Lyme Road, Lyme Gardens and Charmouth Road area to reduce congestion and improve pedestrian safety.
Use this web page to find out more.
About the changes
Following previous engagement and consultation with the community, we want to create a safer, healthier and calmer environment in the area by introducing the following measures during spring/summer 2026:
- A permanent one-way route eastwards requiring all motorists and cyclists to enter via Lyme Gardens and exit via Charmouth Road (installed February 2026)
- A School Street on the north end of Charmouth Road restricting access for most vehicles during school drop-off and pick up (due May 2026)
- Installation of three continuous raised crossings (due summer 2026)
These improvements will mean:
- A safer, calmer and less congested environment at school pick-up and drop-off
- Slower traffic and safer crossing facilities
- Improved traffic flow and reduced conflict between road users
- Priority for those walking, wheeling or cycling
The measures are the result of several years of engagement and consultation with the community. For more information, explore further context below.
To stay informed about the development of the Lyme Road, Lyme Gardens and Charmouth Road area, subscribe to our e-newsletter.
About the design
Map showing the direction of the one-way system, the extent of the school-street, the position of the continuous crossings and the related signage
1. A continuous crossing over Lyme Gardens at the junction with Newbridge Road requiring the removal of one parking space on each side of Lyme Gardens outside number 134 and 136 Newbridge Road.
2. One-way traffic signs mounted at the junction of Lyme Gardens and Newbridge Road.
3. For motorists driving from the northern section of Lyme Gardens, a 'left turn only' sign and no-entry sign at the junction with Lyme Gardens (south).
4. A one-way sign.
5. A continuous crossing over Lyme Road at the junction with Charmouth Road requiring the removal of one parking space on each side of Lyme Road outside numbers 8 and 9 Charmouth Road.
6. A no-entry sign.
7. A 'Pedestrian and Cycle Zone' sign to support the enforcement of the School Street. This will temporarily restrict the area to most traffic from 8:30 to 9:05am and again from 2:55 to 3:40pm, (Monday-Friday, term-time only).
8. New give-way markings on Charmouth Road north of the junction with Lyme Road to give priority to vehicles coming from Lyme Road and turning right onto Charmouth Road.
9. Two no-entry signs on each side of the road at the junction of Charmouth Road and Newbridge Road.
10. A continuous crossing over Charmouth Road at the junction with Newbridge Road (guard railing would be removed).
View an illustration of the School Street signs proposed for Charmouth Road (north)
Illustration of the proposed School Street sign
View a design and read a description of a continuous crossing
Continuous crossings give people priority over vehicles at the junction of a side road where it meets the main road.
The level of the road surface is raised to the same height as the footway with gentle ramps for drivers. The road surface is changed and ‘give way’ lines are installed to alert drivers. Bollards can be used to line the footway itself.
Artist's illustration of a continuous crossing
About the School Street
We’re proposing a School Street outside Newbridge Primary School at the northern end of Charmouth Road (from the junction with Lyme Gardens).
Timed restrictions
Vehicle access would be restricted during the following times, with essential access maintained for those who need it:
- Morning: 8:30 to 9:05am
- Afternoon: 2:55 to 3:40pm
Monday to Friday, term time only.
How the school street will be managed
Clear signage is a legal requirement. Positions are indicated on the map in the About the design section of this page.
Trained stewards will welcome families, put up and take down temporary barriers and manage access for authorised vehicles and permit holders (see Who can access during restrictions, below).
Who can access during restrictions
Expand the following sections to find out more about who would be able to access the School Street during timed restrictions.
- Vehicles displaying a blue badge
- Emergency services
- Statutory service vehicles (e.g. water/sewerage companies)
- Postal/courier company vehicles (not delivery drivers in private vehicles)
- Council-organised school transport
- Health/social care providers
- Vehicles delivering or collecting large goods
- Vehicles already parked in the School Street needing to leave
- A resident with a vehicle registered to a property on the school street requiring access during timed restrictions (vehicles already parked in the area can leave without a permit)
- A parent/carer of a child with an Education Health and Care Plan or temporary accessibility needs
- A visitor providing essential school services (e.g. a school nurse)
- Parents
- School staff
- Business employees
- Delivery drivers in private (i.e. non-company) vehicles
- Residents who do not live on the school street
Encouraging active travel and respectful driving
Along with the timed motor vehicle restrictions, the School Streets programme will be delivered by the school with support from the council.
The programme includes ongoing activities and education that encourage families to walk, wheel, or cycle all or part of their journey, respect residents’ parking zone restrictions, drive carefully in the area, and avoid running engines while waiting.
These activities will help make the streets safer and more attractive for walking and cycling, supporting better health and wellbeing for children. They will also deter cars from entering the area to create a calmer environment at school times for residents and the school community.
Explore further context
The Lyme Road and Charmouth Road area is one of several areas in our community-led Liveable Neighbourhoods (LN) programme. It includes Lyme Gardens and is approximately 1.8 miles from Bath Spa train station.
The Liveable Neighbourhoods programme aims to improve residential street environments and create more space for those that want to walk, wheel or cycle their short journeys.
You can learn more about how the proposals for the Lyme Road and Charmouth Road area LN came about by expanding the sections below.
In Autumn 2020, we asked residents across the district how they felt about LNs.
View the consultation output report from January 2022.
48 communities then applied to become a LN, via ward councillors.
You can request to view the original application for an LN for your area by emailing LNs@bathnes.gov.uk (the format cannot be made accessible for this web page).
In June 2021, we prioritised areas where development of LNs could start (this included the Lyme Road and Charmouth Road area).
In December 2021, we asked for your feedback on what was good about the Lyme Road and Charmouth Road area, what transport-related issues you experience, and what improvements would make the most impact.
Out of the 1,625 responses submitted as part of our area-wide public engagement in December 2021, 46 people commented on the Lyme Road and Charmouth Road area. Below is a summary of what people said.
What is good about the area?
- 38 said 'strong community spirit'
- 24 said 'close to shops and services'
- 24 said ' good public transport links'
What issues are experienced?
- 31 said 'parking'
- 30 said school run traffic'
- 19 said 'through traffic'
- 19 said 'speeding traffic'
- 18 said 'idling vehicles'
- 14 said 'lack of EV charging points'
What measures could improve the area?
- 27 said 'better or more residents parking'
- 21 said 'a restriction on through traffic or HGVs'
- 13 said 'EV charging facilities'
- 10 said 'new or wider footways'
- 10 said 'new or improved cycle lanes'
On 29 June 2022, we held a co-design workshop with 31 residents who had expressed an interest in staying involved in the process during earlier engagement.
Attendees took part in a series of exercises to identify what they liked about the area, what could be improved, and what specific measures could help, plotting these on a map of the area.
To see the maps and longlist of ideas suggested by the community, view the workshop report.
In August 2022, attendees were invited back to review the outcomes of the workshop and prioritise their ideas, focusing on the original application area. These priorities were considered during later shortlisting to reach the final proposals.
During the first half of 2023, we considered the wider community proposals for the area against a range of criteria, working alongside local ward councillors to arrive at initial recommendations.
We scored proposals against set criteria to assess impacts.
View the early draft recommendation report (superseded by the Full Business Case proposal).
To secure the funds to install the LN programme it was necessary to submit a Full Business Case (FBC) to the West of England Combined Authority.
This involved appraising all early recommendations for each of the LN areas against the following criteria, to produce a final shortlist:
- Technical feasibility
- Alignment with the objectives of Liveable Neighbourhoods and community benefits
- Affordability/budget constraints
The shortlist was submitted to the West of England Combined Authority in a Full Business Case to be reviewed by its committee. The funding was secured on 20 September 2024.
The Committee's report on the FBC is on page 45 of the Agenda Report Pack which includes a link to the Liveable Neighbourhood Full Business Case.
The shortlisted proposals for Lyme Road and Charmouth Road are presented under 'Our proposals' on this web page.
In spring 2024, we proposed an experimental trial of a westbound one-way traffic route, with vehicles entering via Charmouth Road and exiting through Lyme Gardens. The plan included bi-directional access for cyclists. However, due to accessibility challenges and safety concerns for cyclists raised by residents, the trial was paused to allow for further exploration of alternative options.
Following re-design and after consulting the community in December 2025, we have instead installed an eastbound one-way route, without bi-directional cycling, to complement a School Street with timed vehicle restrictions at the north end of Charmouth Road and a series of continuous crossings.
During autumn and winter 2025/26 we worked closely with school leadership at Newbridge Primary School on the development of a School Street on the northern end of Charmouth Road. Find more information on how School Streets work and how they are managed above and on our School Streets web page.
In December 2025, following a period of informal engagement with residents and the school community, we held a formal Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) consultation on the proposal for a School Street and the new one-way design (eastbound).
The continuous crossing proposals did not require a TRO, but the community was welcome to comment on them as part of the wider design.
- View the legal notices for TRO Consultation 25-061.
- Read the decision notice, including responses to the feedback received (Report 5a, attached to the decision notice).
- Find out more about how we decide on changes to road layouts using Traffic Regulation Orders.
After reviewing the consultation feedback and earlier community engagement, we decided to proceed with the design and install the measures during spring/summer 2026. This is in the interest of safety for all road users.
Next steps
Following the formal consultation on the one-way (eastbound) and the School Street at the north end of Charmouth Road, and the decision to proceed with the scheme, it will be installed in phases:
- One-way eastbound (completed on 19 February 2026)
- School Street permit applications (due April 2026)
- School Street timed restrictions in place (due May 2026)
- Continuous crossings (due Summer 2026).
We will keep residents and the school community informed of School Street development and installation plans via letter, e-news and school communications. This includes important updates on exemption permit applications.
Please subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed.
Links with other projects
We are working closely with our School Streets programme and, in this area, the development of the A4 Bath to Bristol Strategic Corridor scheme.
Contact us
If you have a query or would like to talk to an advisor, please email us at LNs@bathnes.gov.uk, or call 01225 394 025 and request a call-back from a team member.
To stay up to date with the project, you can also:
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