I have today submitted an objection to the closure of Pulteney Bridge and intend to challenge any decision made in favour of doing so.
The Public Realm & Movement Strategy is an excellent plan for our city centre, which many experts in and outside of the council have been working on for years. The closure of Pulteney Bridge to all vehicles is within this and is a measure which, in principal, I support.
However, this plan for closure and consequent diversion of bus routes appears to be presented in isolated with no mitigation of its unintended consequences. On enquiring about changes to bus routes and the need for new bus stops, I am concerned to find that there are no plans in place. Similarly, plans are not yet available for works to North Parade to improve traffic flow at the Pulteney Road junction.
I urge the Conservative cabinet member to close Pulteney Bridge only when adequate mitigation measures are in place for bus passengers living on the affected routed and to ease traffic flow on North Parade bridge.
Personally I think this sort of action is long overdue and I fear any delay will be extended for far too long a time. Many other cities survive with fully pedestrianised centres, and Bath, as a world heritage site of small area, really needs this action. Especially as its many beautiful listed buildings are daily blackened by car fumes.
Pedestrianising is a big measure, moving a bus stop is a small one, that can happen with time. I will happily volunteer my time to accompany any old people the 100m down the road to the Guildhall bus stop if necessary.
It’s a real dilema as I am in favour of pedestrianisation. However, without suitable mitigation (which I have not seen) there could be a net environmental loss to this proposal:
Around 1,000 people will loose easy access to a regular bus service. While some will be able to walk to town, others may take taxis or drive if they are able. The worst outcome, though, is for residents to stay at home with the consequent degraing of their lifestyle and health.
Large frequent buses plus all taxis being transferred to North Parade will increase congestion at either end, both on Pierrepont Street and, more significantly, on Pulteney Road which is already jammed during uni/school term peak hours.
These traffic jams, plus the extra length of the route, will reduce the reliability of the bus services and their relative desirability, probably resulting in reduced patronage. If this falls too badly, the frequency of service will no longer be viable.
It may be possible to pedestrianise Pulteney Bridge without the adverse consequences, but the mitigation measures proposed are uncoordinated and insufficient, which is why I am now opposed.