History of the Rossiter Road Project
Progress to 2006: B&NES Council collaborated with the WA in 2003 and 2004 to produce two key reports , which in 2005 were compared by consultants with a view to selecting the one which would both achieve the objective and be affordable. For more detail on those reports, click here.
This exercise was successful: an acceptable scheme was taken in to the Joint Local Transport Plan in 2006 but within weeks was ejected on the grounds that it was ‘primarily for environmental benefit rather than to improve traffic flow’. This had the impact of disentitling the scheme to central government funding for traffic improvements in Bath, and thus reduced the funds available for the scheme from £1.6M to around £880k. A lesser, but still affordable and adequate plan was later approved by the Council in Sept 2006, with implementation planned for between 2008 and 2010.
Little progress was made in 2007 – 2008 , but thankfully at least funding provision was maintained in the costed works programme. In mid 2009 computer modelling eventually proved the 2006 plan to be unworkable since it could have led to congestion at the Churchill Bridge roundabout, potentially blocking traffic exiting the city centre over Churchill Bridge – an increasingly topical concern once the SouthGate Centre had opened. This rejected plan can be seen here. Early in 2010 the Association proposed an alternative plan, entailing an eastbound one way flow along Widcombe Parade (rather than westbound as in the previous plan). This overcame the congestion risk and in May 2010 was accepted as viable by the Council. A very welcome public announcement was made by Cllr Gazzard at Widcombe Rising on 13 June 2010. Funding provision at £1.1M was reconfirmed at about the same time.
By November 2010,The scheme had proceeded to the detailed design stage. The Association resolutely maintained its line that common sense must be acknowledged alongside technical criteria – as the new layout will do away with such hazards as the pelican crossing straight after the blind bend by the Baptist Chapel, it must be an improvement, even if it might not meet 100% of the design criteria which guide the highway engineers’ work.
Public Consultation took place in February 2011. There were a large number of responses of which the great majority supported the scheme, in principle, although a number of detailed changes were suggested. The WA response to the consultation can be found here.
Since the public consultation, which was overwhelmingly in favour of the scheme, much has changed in Bath’s transport policy with the arrival in May 2011 of a new Lib-Dem controlled Council Cabinet. Councillors then assured the Association that they wanted to get through traffic out of Widcombe Parade, but also wanted to ensure that the plan is as effective and cost-efficient as possible. The plan was therefore reviewed by independent experts Halcrow, who reported early in 2012.
Briefly, the review suggested re-modelling the crossover junction at the end of Widcombe Parade, where westbound traffic would move from Rossiter Road across to the existing carriageway, beyond the Wessex water bus stop. The revised layout would save the mature tree in Spring Gardens and permit traffic from the west to make a right turn into Lyncombe Hill. Minor changes to the traffic signals at the hotel junction were proposed which would improve traffic flow and enhance pedestrian safety. The issue of traffic signals at the White Hart junction was also considered and although Halcrow considered that, from a highways engineering perspective, traffic signals would be the ideal solution, they put forward an alternative scheme involving the use of mini-roundabouts. It has since been agreed that the scheme will incorporate mini-roundabouts, but ducting will be laid for retro-fitting of traffic lights should this prove necessary.
The Council approved a budget of £1.8M for the scheme, and on 13th June 2012, the Council Cabinet made the historic decision to approve the scheme. A Steering Group was set under the Chairmanship of Widcombe Councillor Ian Gilchrist, comprising Councillors Symonds and Bellotti of the Council cabinet, WA members Richard Wales and Mike Wrigley, with council officers in attendance. The steering group’s main task was to decide how the urban landscape should look once the scheme is complete.
In September 2012, the WA leafleted all households in our area of interest to let them know our ‘Vision for Widcombe’ and what we desired for our ‘village street’: “somewhere we can all go to enjoy shopping, or to sit at a table or a bench on the pavement and watch the world go by (rather than lorries or cars)” We invited all residents to let us know their ‘Vision for Widcombe’ by means of a questionnaire, and we received over 200 responses. The vast majority supported the concept and a large number of helpful suggestions were made.
A meeting of the Rossiter Road Steering Group was held on 31 st October 2012. The purpose of the meeting was to review progress on the detailed design and to consider issues arising from the project.
The main topic was the work carried out so far by the urban designer who is working with the traffic engineers from BANES. He outlined his approach to design within the Parade, but did not have any design work to show. However, he was clearly taking account of his meeting with members of the Rossiter Road sub-committee, response to the Vision for Widcombe document, and Government guidance on road design within environmentally sensitive areas. His colleague, a landscape architect, advised the design engineers on materials specifications and soft landscaping.
The concerns that have been expressed to the Widcombe Association and local councillors by some members of the community concerning pedestrian safety were reported to the meeting and were considered as the detailed design work continued.
Towards the latter end of 2013, under the leadership of the Council’s Strategic Director of Place, Louise Fradd, the project gained momentum, and the Council’s urban designers Place Studio held a workshop with stakeholders to reveal their plans and take comments. Following that workshop the Steering Group met and agreed changes to the proposals that reflected points agreed at the workshop. Subsequently a public exhibition of the plans was held at the Natural Theatre Headquarters in Widcombe on 30th November.