By John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter: Residents associations have warned a controversial liveable neighbourhood in Bath is a “failure,” as councillors consider whether to make it permanent.
The Lower Lansdown Liveable Neighbourhood saw Catharine Place and — most controversially — Winifred’s Lane closed to through traffic in November 2024 and major changes made to Gay Street.
Like Bath and North East Somerset Council’s other liveable neighbourhoods, the scheme is in place on a trial basis until councillors decide whether to make it permanent.
Liveable neighbourhoods (also called low traffic neighbourhoods, or LTNs) are intended to stop speeding on residential roads and make them safer and more pleasant for walking and cycling — but some residents’ associations who met with the councillors behind the Lower Lansdown Liveable Neighbourhood last week have warned the scheme is a “failure.”
The Heart of Lansdown Conservation Group — which campaigned against the introduction of the scheme — was one of several residents groups at the meeting.
In a statement the group said: “The Heart of Lansdown Conservation Group, Sion Hill/Summerhill Road Residents’ Association, and Sion Hill Place Residents’ Association representatives all considered the Winifred’s Lane ETRO to be a failure.
“The Marlborough Lane/Marlborough Buildings Residents’ Association representatives were very concerned that the modal filter on Gay Street has resulted in significantly more traffic on their roads.”
The changes made to Gay Street mean that traffic can no longer use it to travel directly between Queen Square and the Circus, but must turn onto George Street. But the most controversial part of the Lower Lansdown scheme has been the closure of Winifred’s Lane to through traffic.
When bollards were installed on the narrow cut through a year ago, a slew of cars kept driving up the road only to have to reverse out from the narrow lane onto the junction with poor visibility. The next day, people who live on the lane found road closed signs at the end of the road, causing confusion about whether they could access their homes by car.
Figures commissioned by the Heart of Lansdown Conservation Group found that the number of vehicles passing a junior school on an nearby road had increased by more than 700% after the closure of Winifred’s Lane.
Commenting after last week’s meeting, the group said: “Safety has been compromised in multiple places.” It warned that the scheme had led to more traffic going past junior schools, around the “dangerous bends” on Sion Road, and on the junction of Morford Street and Lansdown Road. The group also raised concerns about cyclists heading down the steep Winifred’s Lane and having to navigate the junction with Cavendish Road at the bottom.
But the scheme also has its supporters. One local woman addressed a meeting of Bath and North East Somerset Council in June to praise the scheme for stopping giant cars “bombing through” her neighbourhood. She told councillors: “We and our daughter were almost hit multiple times while walking to and from school. We didn’t walk our dog during school run times because we were concerned for her safety due to some near misses.”
A consultation on the scheme ran alongside it until April. A decision will be taken later by a council cabinet member on whether to make the scheme permanent. Although the consultation will be taken into account, top councillors have repeatedly stated that consultations are not referendums.
A spokesperson for Bath and North East Somerset Council said there was no date set for when a decision would be taken on whether to make the scheme permanent.
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