Total gridlock

Newbridge residents are all for reducing the number of cars travelling into Bath, however, the current B&NES’ plan is hugely flawed and will only lead to aggravated traffic problems in the Newbridge area.

As part of the overall BTP scheme there is a proposal to double the existing Newbridge park and ride to accommodate one thousand cars on a green belt field categorised as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a Nature Reserve.

This has led to questions about the validity of such a plan.

As part of its plans the Council intends to install new traffic lights prioritising buses entering and exiting the car park to cross Newbridge Road to join the proposed BRT in Brassmill Lane. There is already a major pinchpoint at the New Bridge; which as a listed structure is protected and cannot be altered. To encourage a further five hundred cars to enter the locality at peak times along with the new traffic lights is, at best, disingenuous. As local residents and those who travel through Newbridge are aware, traffic congestion at peak times gives rise to complete gridlock in the area which, if the extension is built, will spread to other parts of Newbridge and Weston.