A4 Upper Bristol Road cycling and pedestrian improvement works

We are planning roadworks on the A4 Upper Bristol Road in Bath, between Charlotte Street and Midland Road, to create separated cycle lanes and improve crossings and side road junctions in this area.

New cycle lanes and bus stops 

The new separated cycle lanes opened on Friday 25 November. New types of bus stops have also come into use, which operate by the cycle lane running between the bus stop and the pavement.

Pedestrians have priority at the bus stops and people using the cycle lane must stop to allow bus passengers to get on or off the bus. View a video explainer to see how the new bus stops work.

Please note that the cycle lane section opposite Marlborough Lane is not yet open as hoarding for a retirement development is currently in place in the road.

New continuous footways

Crossing points for pedestrians have also been improved with new continuous footways introduced along the route.

A continuous footway gives people priority over vehicles where side roads join main roads, to improve safety. Kerbs and tactile paving are removed to give the appearance that the pavement continues across the entrance of the side road. There are also ‘give way’ lines to show drivers they have to give way to people crossing.

Together with reducing the speed limit to 20mph, the aim of continuous footways is to improve visibility and safety and reduce the likelihood of accidents.  

View our video explainer to see how the new continuous footways work from a side road and main road. 

Continuous footways reinforce rule 170 of the Highway Code, which states that drivers should give way to pedestrians crossing when turning into or out of side roads.

How we will manage the work

The works will start on the week beginning 18 July 2022 and will be phased, generally working from west to east. Volker Highways will carry out the construction works, operating from Monday to Friday, typically 7.30am to 5pm, with occasional weekend working.

Works will be in footways and carriageways and subject to pedestrian controls, like temporary walkways, to facilitate works and keep all road users safe. On occasion, the works in carriageways may require temporary two-way traffic signals.

Construction works will not prevent traders or their customers from accessing their premises.

Improvement work steps

WarningThe following construction timeline is estimated and subject to underground conditions and supply of materials. We have carried out investigative works but cannot guarantee completion dates until our contractors are on site. We will keep this webpage updated.

Select a topic below to find out more about each step in the improvement project:

Parking arrangements

The first step, ahead of our main works, will be to put in place replacement parking bays in nearby areas. 

View the locations of the replacement parking bays

On-street parking on Upper Bristol Road will be suspended from 21 July, this will enable us to reconfigure the road space for the dedicated cycle lanes.

It has taken longer than anticipated to clear certain roads of parked cars, however replacement parking is now in place.

Midland Road to Comfortable Place: 21 July to 20 August

This stage of the project will include the following steps:

• Widening the footway and creating a new ‘limited waiting’ space outside the Hop Pole 
• Installing ‘continuous footways’ at the access lanes to Sterling House and leading to the rear of Phase One Gym and the entrance to Comfortable Place
• Reinstating the footway outside Comfortable Place

The following traffic restrictions will be in place:

• We will use two-way temporary traffic signals when we are widening the footway outside the Hop Pole and installing the ‘continuous footways’ at all entrances
• We will need to restrict daytime vehicle access to Stirling House and the rear of Phase One Gym and Comfortable Place. We will write directly to homeowners affected to explain these traffic arrangements closer to the time
• We will need to close the pedestrian crossing by Victoria Bridge Road while works at the Comfortable Place access are taking place. A temporary crossing will be provided in its place

Comfortable Place to Marlborough Lane: 22 August to 20 October

This stage of the project will include the following steps:

• Relocating the existing bus stop outside Riverview Court and reconfiguring to a ‘floating bus stop’ with a new shelter
• Installing a ‘continuous footway’ across the entrance to Victoria Bridge Road
• Relocating the Comfortable Place bus stop to opposite Phase One Gym and reconfiguring to a ‘floating bus stop’ with a new shelter
• Widening the footway to Marlborough Lane junction
• Reconfiguring the existing bus stop east of Marlborough Lane to a ‘bus stop boarder’
• Removing existing road markings and installing new road markings between Midland Road and Marlborough Lane
• Installing cycle lane separator units between Midland Road and Marlborough Lane
• Undertaking highway drainage improvements outside the allotments
  • Due to unexpected underground conditions, we will need to return in the new year to resolve minor flooding issues in the new cycle lane. A section of the lane will be closed temporarily to undertake the works. We will update this page with exact dates when these are known. If heavy rain falls before these drainage works are carried out, the new cycle lane may need to close temporarily.

The following traffic restrictions will be in place:

• We will use two-way temporary traffic signals for the duration of these works.
• We will need to restrict daytime vehicle access to Victoria Bridge Road. We will write directly to affected homeowners to explain these traffic arrangements closer to the time.
• We will need to close Marlborough Lane at its junction with Upper Bristol Road to all vehicles from 22 September for approximately 3 weeks. A traffic diversion will be in place via Upper Bristol Road, Park Lane, Weston Road and Marlborough Buildings. We have written directly to affected homeowners explaining the traffic arrangements in detail.
• We will need to close Upper Bristol Road to all vehicles, between Midland Road and Marlborough Lane, over three nights (17 to 19 October) for road marking works. These works will be carried out between 7pm and 7am. The road closure will only be in place during the works and when signs are in position. Traffic diversions will be signed, with local access still available for residents or businesses. Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.

The following temporary bus arrangements will be in place:

• The Comfortable Place bus stop (West) will be suspended from 15 August to 20 October. Please use alternative stops at Nile Street and Park Lane.
• The Comfortable Place bus stop (East) will be suspended from 15 August to 20 October and moved to a new location opposite Comfortable Place.
• The Nile Street (East) bus stop will be suspended from 23 September to 13 October. Please use alternative stops at Comfortable Place, Upper Bristol Road or James Street West.

Nile Street to Charlotte Street: 14 October to 29 November

This stage of the project will include the following steps:

• Installing a ‘continuous footway’ across the entrance to Nile Street 
• Removing the existing pelican crossing west of Nile Street
• Installing a new pedestrian/cycle crossing east of Nile Street
• Reconfiguring the existing Nile Street bus stop to a ‘bus stop boarder’ with a new shelter
• Improving the pedestrian crossing facility at the entrance to Little Stanhope Street
• Installing a ‘continuous footway’ across the entrance to Crescent Gardens
• Removing existing road markings and installing new road markings between Marlborough Lane and Charlotte Street
• Installing cycle lane separator units between Marlborough Lane and Charlotte Street
• Improving the pedestrian refuge island at the Charlotte Street and Monmouth Place junction
  • We will return in the new year to complete this as we will need to construct this under two-way traffic signals, which may be disruptive in the lead up to Christmas.

The following traffic restrictions will be in place:

• We will need to stop vehicles accessing Nile Street from Upper Bristol Road from 14 October for approximately four weeks. A traffic diversion will be in place via Little Stanhope Street and Great Stanhope Street. Vehicles will still be able to exit Nile Street. On 8 November we will need to close Nile Street, at its junction with Upper Bristol Road, for two hours, while we complete the continuous footway surface. Vehicles will be able to exit using Great Stanhope Street, under temporary traffic management. 
• We will need to restrict daytime vehicle access to Crescent Gardens. We will write directly to affected homeowners, to explain these traffic arrangements, closer to the time.
• We will need to close Upper Bristol Road, between Marlborough Lane and Charlotte Street, over three nights (14, 17 and 18 November) for road markings works. To minimise disruption these works will be carried out in the evenings, weather permitting. This will require closing Upper Bristol Road to all vehicles between Marlborough Lane and Charlotte Street from 7pm to 7am. Marlborough Lane will also need to be closed at its junction with Upper Bristol Road.
  • Traffic diversions will be signed with local access still available for residents or businesses, with pedestrian access maintained at all times. The road closures will only be in place during the works and when signs are in position

The following temporary bus arrangements will be in place:

• The Nile Street (West) bus stop will be suspended from 14 October to 18 November. Please use alternative stop(s):
  • 716: Queen Square (Sa), Comfortable Place (W)
  • A4, 4, 4a, 4b, 19, 39, X39: Monmouth Place (Gd), Comfortable Place (W)

Onega Terrace and Victoria Bridge Road: 7 November

We will need to prevent vehicles accessing these streets for two hours, to complete the surfacing of the new continuous footways, weather permitting. Pedestrian access will be maintained. We will write directly to homeowners affected, to explain these traffic arrangements, closer to the time.

Marlborough Lane and Charlotte Street: January 2023

This stage of the project will include the following steps:

Completion of road and cycle lane markings

The A4 Upper Bristol Road was closed for one night on 9 January 2023 between 7pm and 7am, between Marlborough Lane and Charlotte Street. Traffic diversions will be signed with local access still available for residents or businesses, with pedestrian access maintained at all times.

The road closures will only be in place during the works and when signs are in position. The works are weather-dependent and we will update this page should the schedule need to change.

Improving the pedestrian refuge island at the Charlotte Street and Monmouth Place junction

These works started on 16 January 2023 for about one week, with three-way, manually controlled traffic signals in place. These works were delayed to avoid causing disruption in the lead-up to Christmas.

Undertaking highway drainage improvements outside the allotments at Marlborough Lane

Due to unexpected underground conditions, we will return in the new year to resolve minor flooding issues in the new cycle lane. A section of the lane will be closed temporarily to undertake the works.

We will update this page with exact dates when these are known. If heavy rain falls before these drainage works are carried out, the new cycle lane may need to close temporarily.

Scheme monitoring

We will undertake traffic flow counts and surveys before and after the project is implemented. We will closely monitor how the new bus stops are used and complete an early review.

Contact the project team

For more information, please contact the Project Team by emailing transportation@bathnes.gov.uk or call Council Connect on 01225 39 40 41, including out of hours.