Rossiter Road Campaign and the Regeneration of Widcombe Parade
One of the main reasons why the Widcombe Association was formed in 1981 was to campaign to restore our 'High Street' (comprising Widcombe Parade, Sussex Place and Claverton Buildings) to its original status as an attractive, successful shopping area, released from the noise and environmental pollution of busy main-road traffic.
More than 30 years on we have seen many false dawns and dashed hopes. We have not won the day yet, but remain more determined than ever to succeed.
The Main Objective: is to divert the bulk of A36 (city ring road) westbound traffic away from the village. This can only be done by converting Rossiter Road, along the river, from one-way eastbound to two-way.
We are not trying to remove all vehicles from the village street, only through traffic (and especiallyHGVs, as at right). We appreciate that, for both residents and businesses, it is desirable that local traffic may still pass along the street and may park there for shopping etc. So we ensure this is acknowledged in the various plans on which we are invited to comment.
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. 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. The plans upon which the consultation were based can be seen here. 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 have, however, assured the Association that they want to get through traffic out of Widcombe Parade, but want to ensure that the plan is as effective and cost-efficient as possible. The current plan is therefore to be reviewed by independent experts, who have been tasked to report by early December 2011. We have increasing confidence that the Scheme will go ahead in some form in 2012 - hopefully incorporating the improvements suggested by the WA. In the meantime, pending that report, work by urban and landscape design consultants, commissioned in July, has been placed on hold.
After 30 years of effort , the WA is closer than ever to seeing Widcombe Parade really become our Village High Street once again.
Point of contact for further details:
Richard Wales richard.wales@zen.co.uk
For a Google Map of the area, click here
Note: Before the WA was formed the WAG (Widcombe Action Group) campaigned about traffic in Widcombe. To get a flavour of their of their feisty approach, take a look at the 'Bath Spark' from July 1978 (kindly supplied by Nod Knowles).