Growing concern about Bath Road Shopping area road safety measures

Concern is mounting about the impact on road safety on the Bath Road shopping area in Leckhampton following works undertaken by the County Council. The scheme which aimed to improve safety and provide more on street parking in the area has drawn criticism especially in regard to the changes between the junctions with Kew Place and Clare Place. 

The Bath Road Safety Scheme includes waiting restriction changes to accommodate the safety features and to increase parking along the road and in surrounding streets. However, the layout near Lanes the Butchers including the width of build outs of the pavements and increased on street parking has led to claims that the works have made the area much less safe.

I spent an hour at the shopping area last Thursday morning between about 9am and 10am. I spoke to one local trader at length about his concerns about the new layout. I also walked up and down the shopping area section of the Bath Road to look at the quality of the workmanship undertaken by the contractors and also to see firsthand the impact on congestion as a result of the changes.

What struck me is that not only is it a very busy road with many cars and lorries travelling through it but there was a number of deliveries being made to the local shops by large lorries.

Reducing the places where loading can take place by the larger lorries or even smaller delivery vans seemed to cause a few problems, most notably outside Robin Jenkins the Butchers although the works done next to that shop outside the Post Office was undertaken previously and not part of the current works. 

However the size and alignment of the new pavement buildouts outside Lanes and the Organic Shop, which combine to reduce the width of the road quite substantially, seems to be the major issue for several different reasons. Part of the problem is that the new on street parking bays outside Indian Brasserie make approaching cars drive more in the centre of the road – but as they approach Lanes the Butchers vehicles travelling in the opposite direction are also driving in the centre of the road because of the build out there. 

Hence vehicles moving southwards have to make quite a sharp swerve to the left to avoid hitting oncoming vehicles. That swerve to the left is just about where the drop in the kerb is outside the Organic Shop to encourage people to cross at that location. 

Thus there has been concerns expressed about the safety for pedestrians crossing the Bath Rd between Lanes and the Organic shop. The layout seems to be encouraging people to cross there but due to other issues being generated by the design and layout it isn’t always a suitable place to cross. 

From what I have seen this layout is increasing congestion and this is really not helped at all when a large lorry is also parked outside Robin Jenkins butchers shop further along - but there isn't anywhere else nearby suitable for those delivery lorries to park. I understand a collision took place outside Lanes on Saturday when a bus was hit although I need to get that confirmed.

I am also very disappointed in the quality of the workmanship. It is particularly dismal outside Andy’s Barbers shop where the tarmac seems to have been shovelled on and is loose. I understand from speaking with Highways Officers this is temporary and will be re-done but it seems really wasteful.

Painting of yellow lines and yellow strips on pavements here also looks really tatty. Also where yellow lines and white lines have been painted over - further up the Bath Rd it has been done very shabbily with the yellow lines starting to show through outside Co-Op. The poor finish really lets the area down in my view.

Some people have also told me that as cyclists they are very concerned about the changes and the impact on their safety. The new layout means more cars parking for short times, more movements and less on street parking spaces available for loading for larger vehicles. This is increasing congestion and creating more obstacles for cyclists to manoeuvre around. I really share these concerns about the impact for cyclists of having to weave through some of the mayhem and congestion I have witnessed as a result of the changes. I feel more cyclists will be tempted to go on the pavement which would be really dangerous with many shoppers leaving shop entrances.

I spoke to Highways Officers whilst on the Bath Road and raised my concerns with them about the enforcement of the new parking restrictions. They assured me that enforcement will be increased. This is ESSENTIAL because it is now very dangerous if people park outside the organic shop because of the reduced width. 

However I have not yet had the assurances that I need to hear from the Borough Council that enforcement will actually be increased – this may not happen until the County Council take back responsibility for enforcement next year which would be totally unacceptable. In any case I cannot see how it will be any easier to issue tickets to cars parked for more than one hour (restrictions will be waiting for one hour only) than it was to issue tickets on yellow lines.

When I was on the Bath Rd last Thursday someone pulled over onto the pavement outside the Organic Shop while I was there and dropped someone off. They didn’t stay long, only a few minutes but it has serious implications for traffic flow when people park there because the road is not wide enough. Someone parked outside Moran’s to make a delivery while I was there. Given the new parking bays opposite and narrow section of road before it made things difficult but I cannot see how businesses can be expected not to have deliveries. This wasn’t a particularly large van. 

The County Council need to quickly assess the impact of this scheme on road safety. Changes must be made where needed to protect pedestrians and cyclists and prevent vehicle collisions. Enforcement must be increased and that has to happen now!