THE WEEK IN East Bristol & North East Somerset
15th December 2021
Issue 709
FREE
Read by more than 40,000 people each week
A dedicated cycle lane and priority buses between Bristol and Bath A first impression has emerged this week of what
Bristol City Council area; the
travel along the A4 between Bristol and Bath in five
other five are in Bath & North
years’ time will look like.
East Somerset and include
A report setting out proposed improvements to the Bristol
separate ones for Keynsham
to Bath Strategic Corridor is going to Bath & North East
and Saltford.
Somerset
While still only at the outline
Council’s
Cabinet
meeting
tomorrow
(Thursday).
case stage, what is clear, and
Transport infrastructure improvements to the corridor
has been previously reported in
were part of the City Region Sustainable Transport
The Week In, is that the Bristol
Settlement of over half a billion pounds awarded by the
to Bath Strategic Corridor aims
government to the West of England Combined Authority
for a modal change. Car
in October. It followed public consultation over the
journeys will be replaced by
summer which drew more than 1,300 responses.
active
Key elements of the plan will see a 15.5km cycle lane
transport.
constructed between the two cities, which is segregated
With the projected population
from general traffic, and a high-quality ‘turn up and go’
rise and no measures to combat vehicle usage, the cost of
demand will result in more congestion along the corridor,
(departures every five minutes) bus service using new and
congestion in the region is estimated to rise to as much as
poorer air quality and higher carbon emissions.”
reallocated bus lanes, bus gates and priority systems at
£800m a year by 2036.
As far as the next steps are concerned, the West of England
junctions. Interchange hubs along the corridor will include
The report to B&NES Cabinet carries a stark warning:
Combined Authority is due to delegate authority to the
access to local communities nearby.
“Unless the opportunity is provided for mode shift from
chief executives of Bristol and B&NES councils early in
The Bristol to Bath Strategic Corridor has been split into
car to sustainable modes, the number of journeys by car
the new year to move on to the preparation of an outline
six separate sections where a range of improvement
(and the vehicle-kilometres) will increase with the
business case. This will include public consultation on the
options are currently being assessed. The section from
associated increase in demand on the highway network.
options for each section. With a full business case ready
Bristol Temple Meads to Brislington falls within the
As the highway network is already congested, increased
in 2024, work could start the following year.
travel
or
public
More local transport improvements, page 5
Also in this week’s issue
South Glos Council challenged over climate progress . . . page 3
European success for Longwell Green gymnasts . . . page 4
Launch of new book about Keynsham chocolate factory . . . page 7
Referendum could see Mayor of Bristol’s role scrapped . . . page 14