Canal pedestrian refuge reconsidered

Broken pavement

The enlarged pedestrian refuge over the canal bridge has run into some problems. The wider refuge,was designed to force drivers to slow down around it. Unfortunately they are not slowing down but driving into the kerb instead. There have now been four instances of kerb stones on the pavement and central refuge being knocked out of place.

While one accident may have been unfortunate, four is recognisably more serious. Today the BathNES traffic and safety team are inspecting the damage and will try to coem up with improvements. I shall update post this with ‘highlights’ of their report when I receive it.

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After the site visit, the initial proposals are thus:

  •  the pedestrian refuge needs to be altered to make it smaller and stronger
  • the white lines on the road should be adjusted
  • visibility from uphill should be checked.

Loading bay consultation begins

Loading bay notice

The loading bay for Tesco has been put to public consultation. You are welcome to write to the Highways team with your views (click on the picture to read the notice and address).

This needs to have public consultation because it changes the legal parking status of that patch of road on Bathwick Hill. The pedestrian refuge and other pavement works did not need public consultation as they were modifications to council/public property.

A loading bay is needed here (just below the canal bridge) to allow delivery lorries to unload safely to the Tesco Express which was given planning permission by an appeal inspector last year. Effectively the government inspector instructed the BathNES highway department to install the loading bay and upgrade the pedestrian crossing, regardless of their own professional views. I have spoken to a member of the highways team about this apparent contradiction and he told me about another authority he has worked for. Following a similar appeal the highway department was ordered to make safe a junction which they claimed couldn’t be done. The legal battle went to the House of Lords and cost the council millions in fees when Tesco finally won.

I am of the opinion that our highway safety department have done a good job in difficult circumstances with the pedestrian refuge, road markings and loading bay. Their solution isn’t perfect, but this is hardly surprising given their professional judgement against Tesco’s planning permission.

Representations must be made in writing to the council by 5th June. If there are objections, which we expect there will be, a report must be written for the cabinet member to decide. Cllr Gerrish (Con, Keynsham North) shall make the final decision mid-June, for the loading bay to be rejected or painted on soon after. There is no truth in the rumour that Tesco have successfully sued for damages against the council. The process has indeed taken a long time but no legal action has yet been taken by Tesco.

Unfortunately the zebra crossing we all want may take even longer. As Tesco did not provide enough money for providing a zebra crossing, the central refuge has been widened and given tactile paving, while the pavement has also been widened. As well as giving more room to wheelchair users and those pushing bikes or buggies, this pavement widening improves the view down Bathwick Hill from those waiting to cross. This is a vital requirement for a zebra crossing, that visibility is good. With these improvements, it will be possible to paint on the zebra stripes later, from council tax money. However, I was angry to discover that this scheme has not been listed for funding in the next financial year and have chased this up with the Conservative cabinet member responsible.

Residents’ Parking & Care Charges – Call Ins

Car Parking

Since the first Conservative budget last month, there have been a flurry of cabinet decisions implementing the increased charges for Residents’ Parking and Home Care. Opposed to these increases, the Liberal Democrats have lead ‘Call-ins’ against these, asking the cabinet member to reconsider. First was the proposal to raise Residents’ Parkign charges by 60%:

The panel voted, by four votes to three, to dismiss the call-in, with Conservative Councillors from outside of Bath backing the original decision taken by their Conservative Cabinet colleague. The Cabinet member will now be free to go ahead and implement the decision to apply increases of up to 60% to residents’ permit costs across the city, as well as a number of other changes to parking costs and arrangements.

The call-in panel raised a number of issues around poor consultation and excessive increases to permit costs. Although all Councillors agreed that consultation on this decision had been inadequate, Conservative Councillors appeared more concerned with the state of the Council’s finances than the issue of engaging with those who will be affected.

Councillor Ian Gilchrist (Widcombe), who led the call-in signatories commented: “I am disappointed that the Conservative and Independent members of the panel did not recognise the merits of the case made to uphold the call-in.

“I thought that the arguments outlining the damaging effects of extending charged times in the city centre to 8pm were pretty compelling, and if they don’t listen to Nod Knowles (Director of Bath Festivals) who will they listen to?

“I am slightly mollified by the apparent concession that Cllr Gerrish has made in the direction of Sunday evening parking, but this still has to be confirmed. If we have achieved even this small bit of good then that is a good thing. Residents will not be pleased at a 60% increase in their annual charges, but I do draw comfort from the thought that we at least did our best to oppose this.”

Meanwhile I have signed the Call In against the increased charges for personal care and the meals on wheels service, which will hurt the most vulnerable. This has lead to some comment on the Chron website… http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=180730&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232315&home=yes&more_nodeId1=163047&contentPK=20354849

Zebra crossing petition launched

We need a zebra crossing on Bathwick Hill over the canal

Bathwick councillors Nicholas Coombes and Armand Edwards have launched a petition for the speedy installation of a zebra crossing on Bathwick Hill.

Planners recently backed local residents and councillors to prevent Tesco from opening before minimal work has been undertaken to make the surrounding roads safer. However, this will not include a zebra crossing which is what most locals want. 

Tesco were ordered to pay BathNES council £20,000 towards the work, but this will only cover the first phase which is due to start within weeks. Throughout the design process Cllr Coombes has been working with the Highways department to ensure that a zebra crossing can be installed later.

This next phase must be funded by the council, but already the Conservatives have scrapped or delayed road projects across the city. The Liberal Democrat petition will show the strong level of demand locally, increasing the chances of a swift resolution.

Already one pedestrian has been killed at this location and Armand and Nicholas know that it is the main concern of most nearby residents. However, in a time of budget cuts they need this petition to put a strong argument when they lobby for funding.

For a zebra crossing on Bathwick Hill please visit www.ourcampaign.org.uk/bathwickcrossing to register your support.

Planners resist Tesco

Bathwick Hill Tesco

BathNES council planning department have rejected Tesco’s application to open their shop before the surrounding roads are made safe.

They had applied in January to have the planning conditions lifted to open earlier – see http://nicholascoombes.mycouncillor.org.uk/2008/01/21/tesco-try-to-lift-planning-restrictions/. When Tesco won their planning appeal one of the inspectors conditions was that Tesco would need to fund improvements to the pedestrian crossing and create a loading bay for their deliveries. Despite allowing the shop to open, the planning inspector did recognise that it would have an adverse impact on road safety and that these improvement works would be necessary.

 The council have been paid by Tesco to do the works, but the sum does not cover the zebra crossing requested by locals and Bathwick councillors Nicholas Coombes and Armand Edwards. BathNES have now published plans to mark out a loading bay and the first phase of the zebra crossing has also been drawn up although the site is very complicated.

Nicholas Coombes welcomed the news from the planning department: “I am glad that our council has been able to resist Tesco, despite their thinly veiled legal threats. The highways department is working on plans for a zebra crossing on Bathwick Hill which will make this crossing safer for everyone. Tesco should not be allowed to open before this is ready as it would residents at unnecessary risk.”

Safer routes to St Mary’s primary

Bath St Mary’s Primary

This evening I was invited to a meeting of Bathwick St Mary’s Primary Safer Routes to School committee. This is run by a few parents and teachers at the school concerned by the difficulty getting their children to and from school safely.

As the school is on Darlington Road, a small cul-de-sac, the street gets quickly jammed in the morning; it is now designated ‘no parking’ so that residents can leave their drives. This was still raised as a problem at last week’s PaCT meeting, so I asked our traffic wardens to pay a visit during the school rush. No tickets were given, but the message got across. Armand and I have done a similar thing at King Edward’s School on North Road before too.

However, surrounding the school, the A36 Warminster Road is not suitable for dropping off children safely. Even an environmentalist like me can see that cycling and walking buses isn’t going to fix the problem straight away, so I have been actioned with a list of issues to take up with the council, including that footpath from the canal – uneven and puddled. I am also investigating a 20mph zone for operation during school hours. This was in both the Liberal Democrat and Conservative election manifestos, so really the Tory cabinet can’t say no…

Both Bathwick St Mary’s Primary and King Edward’s have good travel plans and are putting in effort to support sustainable transport. I was particularly happy to support the Safer Routes to School group who do much good work voluntarily. I would be more than happy to visit other local community groups when invited.

School buses

School Bus

I’ve been contacted a few times about the terrible state of Bath’s school bus system, which leaves children waiting on the road as overcrowded buses drive past. I signed the ‘better buses’ petition several months ago and on Monday I joined their protest outside the Guildhall.

First buses, who could easily be portrayed as the villain, supplied their promotional Yellow Bus for the protest, although they continue to charge children the adult price for a season ticket. Up to 100 people, mainly parents, children and Lib Dem councillors, joined the protest on the steps of the Guildhall.

 It was timed to precede the Children’s Services Overview & Scrutiny Panel, whose meeting included an item on home to school transport. Their conclusion was to launch a review, which is probably the best that could be reasonably expected.

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I’ve just discovered that Bath fm have been playing an interview with me today. The interviewer and I were a little bored before the protest started, so I just chatted to kill time. I’m told it sounded very good though, but sadly I wasn’t listening.

Tesco try to lift planning restrictions

Bathwick Hill Tesco 

Without prior consultation, Tesco are seeking to avoid one of the restrictions placed on their store by the planning inspector and open their store before vital safety work has even been started. Stating that the council have been too slow providing the pedestrian crossing and loading bay, Tesco have asked for the condition to be changed so that they can open next month.

Local councillor Armand Edwards responds: “It is outrageous that Tesco want to subvert the planning system like this. For highway and pedestrian safety we need the crossing and loading bay before the store opens; Tesco shouldn’t put their own commercial gain before public safety.”

The store was granted planning consent by a government inspector in July last year, with two principal conditions; that the store only open between 8am and 9pm and that the pedestrian crossing is upgraded and a loading bay created. There was local controversy when the company sought an alcohol license until 11pm, then retracted at the last minute claiming an administrative error. Now Tesco have formally applied for the second condition to be altered to allow trading to start without the safety works.

In her judgement, the inspector recognised that “there would be an increase in the number of pedestrians crossing the highway as a result of the proposal” and that it would be necessary “in the interests of highway safety” to improve the crossing before the store opened. She also said that the loading bay offered by Tesco would be needed to prevent deliveries blocking the highway and that the development could not proceed without it.

Tesco’s application to the Council says that having paid the money to BathNES, they should be allowed to open the store when they like. However, the £20,000 paid is far less than that needed for a zebra crossing which locals want to see at the site. The council highways department has been carrying out a feasibility study into the works, but are having difficulty working to the small budget. In their letter to the council Tesco also made the threat of further legal action if they were refused, writing “avoiding an appeal, and the associated costs, is in the best interests of both parties.”

Councillor Nicholas Coombes says: “Only last week, Tesco were promising to work with the local community, but now they are trying to dodge their obligations without any prior warning. I shall be strongly objecting to their latest application and urging the planning department to throw it out for the safety of Bathwick’s residents.”

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The application to vary the judgement conditions is 08/00169/VAR available to read and comment at http://planning.bathnes.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=JUOX22CTKK000

Last step to clear footpath

Blocked footpath 

BathNES Council’s footpath committee voted unanimously on Monday to recommend that a footpath in Bathwick be recorded and that the fence erected in the middle of it be removed. This recommendation is passed to the Secretary of State to confirm the decision. The wide footpath from the old quarry in Bathwick to Combe Down has existed, undisputed for a century. However, a neighbouring landowner had enclosed part of its width with a six foot timber board fence, forcing the path into a narrow muddy track. Known as AQ78, the path has been the centre of a local row since January 2000.

Bathwick Cllr Nicholas Coombes proposed the motion at the Regulatory & Access committee on Tuesday. It was seconded by the Chair that the council recommends that the full width of the footpath be recorded. Pending the Secretary of State’s ruling, the council’s footpath team intends to order the fence be taken down. This will not only restore the historic width of the path, enjoyed by local walkers until recently, but will also allow its intended conversion into a cycle path, funded by Bath University.

“This is great news,” says Nicholas Coombes, “It’s taken a lot of time and effort by the council and local campaigners to get this far. I’m glad to have helped and moved us to the final stage. Soon this locally important footpath will be available to walkers, wheelchair users prams and cyclists to enjoy.”

St Christopher’s Close alley resurfaced

St Christopher’s Close alley resurfaced

The alley linking St Christopher’s Close with the Warminster Road has been resurfaced and trimmed following action by local councillor Nicholas Coombes. He noticed the state of the path soon after his election last year and started the long process of persuading the council to adopt the path and  maintain it. A local resident tells Cllr Coombes that her husband had asked the previous councillors to fix the path 17 years ago without success and that generous locals had been looking after the path since. It has now been added to the council maintenance schedule.