On Wednesday evening, 19 March, Green Party councillors for Lambridge Joanna Wright and Saskia Heijltjes hosted a lively public meeting at the New Oriel Hall to discuss transport issues in East Bath, following the cancellation of the Camden Road bus gate. The Cabinet Member for highways, Cllr Manda Rigby and officer Chris Major from the Liveable Neighbourhoods team were also there, listening to residents and discussing alternative solutions for improving traffic flow and air quality in the area.
The council’s decision to scrap the bus gate came after strong opposition from residents, who raised concerns that it would push traffic into already congested areas like Snow Hill, Lambridge, and London Road.
Several key topics were covered during the meeting:
- Walcot Liveable Neighbourhood (LN) Funding:
Cllr Rigby explained that the funding no longer needed for Walcot LN could be repurposed for other Liveable Neighbourhoods, following a simple ‘change request form’ to WECA. - Park and Ride (P&R) Solutions:
To address the lack of P&R options in East Bath, Cllr Rigby mentioned that smaller sites in Wiltshire are being explored as a potential solution. - Resident Parking Zones (RPZ):
While an RPZ for Grosvenor isn’t in the current budget, Cllr Rigby confirmed there’s budget set aside for future RPZs, including for Lambridge, though no decisions have been made yet. Residents can find more details on the Transport Action Map about “Kensington and Grosvenor RPZ” here. - Bus Route Issues:
A resident shared that First Bus drivers had told them speed bumps on Camden Road are causing delays on buses 6 and 7, a concern that is being looked into.
The Green Party councillors also shared their proposal for a community-led Liveable Neighbourhood in East Bath to tackle traffic, air quality, and congestion in a way that works for everyone. Residents made it clear they want more transparency and a smarter, evidence-based approach to transport planning.
The Green Party is calling on the council to work across party lines and make community consultation a priority in future decisions.