Popular Bristol to Bath Cyclepath is Under Threat.

south west | transport | news report Wednesday January 16, 2008 14:16 by Sarah

Save the cyclepath!

Save the cyclepath!

The Bristol to Bath cyclepath is under threat. The West of England Partnership, composed of local councillors, are submitting plans to Whitehall for funding to use it for a rapid transit bus route from Emersons Green to Ashton Vale, one of three in the scheme. The Bath end of the path is under similar threat.

This is the most popular cycleroute in the UK with 2.4 million journeys per year. The timing of the bus route plan is particularly ironic at a time when Sustrans have just won £50 million for cycling improvements nationwide!

It is a busy commuter route for cyclists and at weekends is popular with families and less confident cyclists.

Although a narrow corridor for cyclists is planned, installation of the bus route will require using most of the path width for an ugly concrete track and consequent removal of all vegetation, destroying the path as a pleasant, green, quiet and 'fume free' multiuse facility. Diesel buses will destroy that.

The path, sometimes called a 'linear park' is also used extensively by local people for journeys on foot to school, to walk the dog, to allotments and other local amenities. People with disability vehicles use it. It will not be possible to maintain this diversity of use on a narrow, fenced in path beside a bus track.

We believe that this plan would significantly reduce the quality of life for many residents of East Bristol, in addition to those from further afield who enjoy this path. We don't oppose bus rapid transit schemes in principle but it should use roadspace, not space allocated to the most vulnerable and least powerful groups - pedestrians, cyclists and children.

We need to stop this proposal now. To wait until West of England Partnership declare that public consultation may begin, would leave little time to mount a campaign.

Come to the meeting at the Cornubia Pub, Temple St BS1
Tuesday 5th February 2008 at 7.30 upstairs meeting room.

Directions: http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubmap/308/

http://bristolcyclingcampaign.org.uk/