Green councillors on Bath & North East Somerset Council have condemned the decision to remove double yellow lines and zig zag markings to create additional car parking spaces directly outside Bathwick St Mary Primary School.
The changes – made as part of Traffic Regulation Order 24-037 – were approved despite a strong written objection from the council’s own Active Travel team, who warned the move runs counter to key council objectives on road safety, public health and climate action.
“It’s deeply disappointing to see more parking created right outside a primary school, flying in the face of what we know about children’s health, air pollution, and the climate emergency,” said Cllr Saskia Heijltjes, speaking on behalf of the BaNES Green Group. “Our officers made it crystal clear: this move undermines everything we’re trying to do to encourage safer, healthier travel.”
The new parking bays will be created on Darlington Road, in front of the school, replacing double yellow and zig-zag ‘keep clear’ markings. Officers noted then zig-zag markings were “universally ignored” and said the space could accommodate two parked cars “in a way that does not impede other access.”
However, the Active Travel Team strongly objected, saying:
“The proposal to remove some zigzags and increase parking spaces outside Bathwick Primary School is counter to everything we are trying to do at the council in terms of encouraging more sustainable, safer, and active travel… We should be doing everything to help encourage schools, pupils and their parents/guardians to reduce car travel directly to school sites and create behaviour change.”
Bathwick St Mary had previously expressed interest in taking part in the council’s new *School Streets* pilot – which aims to reduce traffic and improve safety outside schools – but was not selected for the first phase. In a publicly available report, the school said it wished for “softer measures” such as improved crossings. These have yet to be delivered.
A travel survey conducted at the school in January 2025 showed that while 30% of pupils currently travel to school by car, two-thirds of those said they would prefer to use another mode. Interest in cycling is particularly high: while only 6.6% of pupils currently cycle, over 40% said they would like to.
“We’re facing a childhood health crisis and a climate emergency,” said Cllr Joanna Wright. “A third of primary school children in England are overweight or obese, and transport remains the biggest source of carbon emissions in B&NES. This is not the time to be making it easier to drive to the school gates and goes against everything the B&NES Lib Dem administration have said they are working towards.”
At a B&NES Cabinet meeting in February 2025 it was minuted that:
“Cllr Sarah Warren welcomed the funding that has been provided in the budget for the School Streets initiative. This scheme will reduce traffic in and around schools during drop off and collection times to create a safer environment for children and to encourage active travel to improve health and wellbeing.”
Green councillors are also highlighting that transport decisions are not only a climate issue but a public health one. The B&NES’ Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy prioritises action to “enable and encourage proactive engagement in health-promoting activity at all ages for good quality of life.” Removing space for walking, cycling and safe school access directly undermines this aim and makes it harder for families to make healthy travel choices.
The Greens have been demanding the publication of a School Streets strategy for B&NES including a delivery programme over the next 5 years so that all young people benefit from safe streets on their journey to school. B&NES council needs to remain committed to pushing for a safe, high-quality School Street at every viable primary school across Bath and North East Somerset by 2030. Cllr Joanna Wright says “Why are the Bathwick ward councillors are not actively opposing these requested changes to parking?”
The proposal for new limited waiting bays outside the school was included in a routine annual review of parking restrictions in the area. Ward councillors can request changes, which are then consulted on via public notices placed on lamp posts. No formal objections were received from residents, but the Active Travel Team’s internal objection was noted – and ultimately dismissed – during the final decision-making process.
“When our own Active Travel officers are so strongly opposed, it’s clear something has gone wrong in the process,” said Cllr Saskia Heijltjes. “This decision exposes a real weakness in how we work across departments. If this B&NES Administration is serious about achieving our shared aims – safer streets, healthier children, cleaner air – then council teams must work better together to make those goals a reality.”
The ward councillors for Bathwick are Cllr Toby Simon and Cllr Manda Rigby.