Questions, questions?

Here are some of the questions we have put to B&NES Council over the last few months, we are still waiting for answers...

1. Why was the original site for an expanded Newbridge park and ride south of the river scrapped and moved north of the existing park and ride car park?

2. Why does the documentation submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT) show the site for the extension in a different place to that shown in the planning application? In addition, why does this documentation show 12 alternative sites for this extension yet none of them are the actual site now proposed?

3. In the grant application to the DfT there is no budget itemised for the extension to the Newbridge park and ride, why is this?

4. Why has the very real possibility of flooding on the proposed site not been taken seriously, despite advice and calculations to support this prospect from various statutory bodies and B&NES’ own consultants on this matter?

5. Why is B&NES Council ignoring all the wildlife and ecological protections put in place to protect Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Nature Reserves etc.?

6. Why have B&NES neglected to protect and maintain the site over the last few years, thus flouting the law? A current example, allowing a group of people and heavy vehicles to live on the site, thus destroying important flora and unsettling local wildlife.

7. On the matter of public consultation regarding this proposal, this has been minimal and even when invited to ‘engage’ and ‘consult’ with directly affected residents this has been declined/ignored. How can this be considered acceptable?

8. What happened to the 1200+ completed feedback questionnaires submitted after the public exhibition in The Guildhall in November 2008? When asked B&NES’ officials are unable to answer.

9. From a security angle, why do B&NES not share affected residents and the Police’s concerns, yet state CCTV will be installed as a measure against an expected increase in crime in the Newbridge locality?

10. Why have B&NES not carried out a proper survey of current Newbridge park and ride users? If they had done so they would have found approximately 50 per cent to be commuters who live in Twerton. By doing nothing to improve Twerton residents’ public transport B&NES is contradicting its own policy to reduce traffic in Bath as these commuters have to drive to the Newbridge park and ride to get the bus into the City centre.

11. What is B&NES’ opinion on the inevitable increase in traffic congestion in the Newbridge area that will occur, if the proposed traffic lights are installed to prioritise buses entering and exiting the park and ride and crossing Newbridge Road, alongside an additional 500 cars travelling to the locality?

12. Why is Bath Council ignoring directives from Westminster and considering the use of bendy buses from the Newbridge park and ride to Bathampton?

13. Why when Bath has been highlighted as having a shortage of green spaces per capita is B&NES proposing to build on four acres of land used by numerous residents and visitors?

14. Why are there so many errors in the planning application documentation and why did it take a request under the FOI Act to provide nearly 30 missing pages from the WSP Report?

15. It is the Council's stated aim to reduce traffic congestion in the City centre, why then has it agreed to a large car park within the new Southgate development?

16. Why has B&NES ignored reports of wax cap mushrooms in the Newbridge Nature Reserve?

17. How does B&NES hope to fulfil its obligations towards protected invertebrates when it plans to chop down most of their habitat, the Poplar trees?

18. Why does B&NES plan to wipe out the Blue Carpenter bee locally with the BTP scheme when there are only 20 recorded sites in the UK?

19. Why did the local Spatial Plan pay no attention to the suburbs of Bath?

20. Why is B&NES ignoring its own planning obligations supplementary planning document in proposing this park and ride plan, in contravention of the following SEA SA objective numbers:

• 6. fear of crime
• 12. …promoting cycling….
• 14. protect and enhance local distinctiveness
• 16. protect and enhance biodiversity
• 19. encourage sustainable construction
• 21. reduce vulnerability to and manage flood risk?