That's all folks, we're signing off.

Again, congratulations to all.

We're keeping VeracityBath alive, but on standby.

Any future enquiries please contact the Batheaston, Bathampton or Bathford Parish Councils.

Bath Transportation Package goes on a diet.

B&NES' new administration, led by Liberal Democrats, have presented a revised funding request to the Department for Transport, for a Bath Transportation Package..

It is effectively the 'Low Cost Alternative' as detailed in the original Major Scheme Business Case, and does not include a P&R on Bathampton Meadows, the Bus Rapid Transit road through Newbridge, and proposes a smaller Newbridge P&R extension.

We would like to say a big thank you to all VeracityBath contributors & suppoerters.

Without your support, and the work of the other campaign groups that were involved, the case would just not have got across to those that make the decisions.

Every email, every letter, every petition signature, every little concession gained, every penny spent on legal action, and every inch gained up the slippery slope, has paid dividends.

Please click here for more details.

VeracityBath letter to prospective councillors.

BATH TRANSPORTATION PACKAGE: PARK & RIDE and BRT

For the attention of all prospective B&NES Councillors

Bath and North East Somerset community has been led to believe that any substantial change to the Bath Transportation Package (BTP) will disqualify the B&NES funding bid from the Department for Transport (DfT) grant pool or send it to the back of the queue - this is not true.

The DfT has stated that “..not only are we allowing amendments to the scope of schemes where that would
improve affordability and value for money, we are positively encouraging it”.
It is not a matter of B&NES selling assets and contributing more money and asking for less from central Government. Instead, the Government (DfT) wants high value for money as well as significant savings on cost.


In light of this Government directive and the following key considerations, B&NES should rigorously
re-evaluate the linked Park and Ride (P&R) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) elements of the BTP.

1. B&NES’ own papers show that the Bathampton Meadows P&R would have little or no impact on traffic congestion or traffic related air pollution (NO2 and PM10) along London Road. It, therefore, fails to achieve stated primary objectives. In fact, B&NES’ own air quality assessment states that “the large majority of Bath and the surrounding area is unaffected by the introduction of the proposed Bath transport package of which the A4 Eastern Bath Park and Ride is an important element”.


2. B&NES’ own papers show that the highest percentage (46%) of demand for the Bathampton Meadows P&R is from the north via the A46 and the planned provision of 1400 spaces falls short of the need for 1800 spaces. However, the site is not capable of extension because it immediately abuts the River Avon flood plain. This P&R is, therefore, in the wrong location and is not sustainable.


3. The Bathampton Meadows P&R would be the largest and most environmentally damaging in Bath - a blot on the Green Belt and Cotswolds AONB landscape setting of the City of Bath World Heritage Site (refer map). This has been recognised in a number of Government and B&NES reports which rejected the site on the grounds of serious adverse environmental impact.


4. Public consultation on the Bathampton Park and Ride was untimely and perfunctory. B&NES’ evaluation of the scheme was carried out in secrecy and presented as a “fait accompli”. Public consultation later revealed a 78% rejection rate by Bath voters! More than 500 objection letters were submitted. There is also significant, well documented, public opposition to the Newbridge P&R extension and BRT, led by the Newbridge Matters! and Response2Route Groups.


5. Defying logic, the BRT scheme seeks to link an extended Newbridge P&R with the proposed Bathampton Meadows P&R and would, for the majority of its length, not be a segregated, ‘off road’, route (refer map). On the contrary, it would be ‘on road’ and shared with pedestrians, (motor) cyclists, cars, vans, HGVs, other buses and refuse/recycling vehicles, i.e. -

· the BRT scheme will not improve the travel times of current bus services, with little hope of keeping to a timetable as BRT buses will have to stop and start at frequent intervals.

· the unwieldy BRT buses will put additional pressure on traffic flows along London Road and Bath’s relatively narrow streets and exacerbate the chaos already being experienced at Dorchester Street.


6. The BRT is intended to be a dedicated route for commuters, shoppers and tourists. However, it has very few stops for local residents (refer map). It is, therefore, extremely likely that, as is already happening, residents would drive to the P&Rs, fill up the spaces and bus in more cheaply than on existing routes, i.e. the P&Rs could fill up early, leaving no room for the people for whom they were intended.


7. Independent economic evaluations, reported in the Bath Chronicle, indicate that the Net Present Value of the BRT and P&R schemes (Newbridge extension and Bathampton Meadows) is negative, suggesting the projects should be rejected.

For more information please contact us at: vcbath@gmail.com

VeracityBath is a private Not for Profit Company which was established by a number of Parish Councils, community organisations and concerned people in the Bath area.

Its objectives are - to enhance and protect the World Heritage City of Bath and its surrounding area.

B&NES local elections May 5th & more.

As you’re no doubt aware, local elections take place on May 5th.

If the subject of the Bath Transportation Package (BTP), or any aspect of it, is of particular concern to you, we advise that you enquire of your local candidates their position on this subject.

VeracityBath is at present sending a document to prospective candidates of all parties, which lays out as we see it, the reasons why the contentious elements of the BTP should be re-evaluated immediately.

Our colleagues to the West of town (Response2 Route & Newbridge Matters) have issued a document to the DfT, making their case.
To read this document, click here.

You may be interested to read generally what R2R & NM are up to -
Newbridge Matters.
Response2Route.

SaveBathamptonMeadows and VeracityBath have continued to make their views known regarding the BTP, and will continue to do so.

Thank you.

It's not dead it's just resting.

We are a little concerned that many people feel that the Bath Transportation Package is ‘dead in the water’ due to the Government’s recent announcements of financial cutbacks,……………this is NOT so.

The Government will complete a ‘Spending Review’ in October, and it is unlikely that any decision will be made before then on whether B&NES will succeed in qualifying for any Grant Money from the Department for Transport.

VeracityBath will continue to keep our council honest on this, however sometimes it can prove diffiicult -

• Despite continuously asserting from the beginning that all elements of the BTP are absolutely indivisible and interdependent, B&NES continue to make ambiguous and disingenuous statements on this matter. This principle has been reinforced as one result of our legal actions, however we cannot take our eye off the ball, particularly as the validation for the Eastern P&R, in terms of Green Belt planning requirements, is the BTP scheme as a whole.
• Despite being pressed for assurances that all BTP preparation spending will be suspended until the results of the Government spending review become clear, they state that they have “ ……. taken action to minimise the council’s exposure in these uncertain times”. Not what we’d call a satisfactorily transparent answer.
• Despite a summing-up statement from our legal action – “….. there was absolutely no prospect of the Council as applicant being in a position to deliver the Batheaston proposals other than as part of the BTP as a whole which depends upon public funding being secure for the whole from the DfT.” , B&NES now state that “…. your (VCB’s) assumption that the DfT represents the only potential source of funding for this project is flawed”.   Again, another example of their muddying of the waters. We intend to find out exactly what that means in terms of whom they are misleading here.
• Despite B&NES’ fine words regarding their responsibilities regarding Bath’s World Heritage status, and the impact that the BTP will have upon it, the silence has been deafening since we have started asking awkward questions.
• Despite the open-ended uncertainty, the Sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of hundreds of people regarding the Compulsory Purchase Orders on their properties, continues to threaten.

There is absolutely no question that there should be a public debate regarding Bath’s traffic infrastructure and planning.

Issues like air-quality, parking, bus services, HGV access, and all aspects of on and off road street management, are all subjects that should be addressed ……...............…. transparently and openly.

We urge all our supporters to approach their local Councillor(s) to ascertain the stance that they will take on the run-up to next year’s local election.

Not all Conservative Councillors support the BTP proposals, and perhaps not all LibDems are against – if these issues are important to you, perhaps you need to find out where your Councillor stands.

Compulsory Purchase Orders Public Inquiries postponed.

http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/Transport-package-inquiry-scrapped-Government-spending-crackdown/article-2292876-detail/article.html

CPO objectors have today been informed by the Inspector’s Programme Officer that the Pre-Inquiry scheduled to be held next Monday 14th June and the Public Inquiry set to be held on 1st September 2010 have both been postponed.

This obviously makes life very difficult for B&NES, as their schedule is now blown out of the water, and takes the whole affair into the run-up to the Local Election next May. ...........
Make of that what you will.


The full text of the message received is set out below -

“The Secretary of State for Transport has issued a Statement today, indicating that the Department for Transport (DfT) will play a full part in the Government's spending review, which is being undertaken in view of the urgent need to tackle the UK's record budget deficit. This spending review will be reporting in the Autumn and only once it has been completed will the DfT be in a position to identify those major investments that can be supported.



“Steps are therefore being taken to help avoid unnecessary expenditure, whilst the Government considers its transport priorities. The Statement makes it clear that Ministers will postpone decisions on scheme orders and public inquiries relating to schemes which require DfT funding, unless alternative funding sources are available. As the Bath Transportation Package requires DfT funding this means that the Public Inquiries, scheduled to commence on 1 September 2010, have today been postponed.


“In consequence, the Pre-Inquiry Meeting scheduled for Monday 14 June 2010 is also postponed.


“The Government will aim to provide a firm indication on the way forward later this year once the spending review is complete.”

You can help.

Many readers will be aware from Public Notices published in The Bath Chronicle, that B&NES Council has now made Supplementary Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) concerning land they require for the Bath Transportation Package (BTP).

The Programme Officer for the Inspector has advised as follows:

“The Supplementary CPOs are for the accommodation works, connected with the scheme, which should have been submitted under S240 of the Highways Act (temporary acquisition) but were in error included in the main (permanent) CPOs. The Council have said that they will accept any relevant objections made under the original CPOs as objections to the relevant Supplementary CPO."

These latest CPOs require any objections to be submitted to the Secretary of State by Friday 25th June 2010, which is after Monday 14th June - the date already scheduled for the Pre-Inquiry to be held.

This is an excellent opportunity for anyone who previously missed the chance to make their voices heard on the subject of the Transport Package CPO for the London Road bus lane, and most readers of this site will be aware that there are no shortage of very good reasons to object.

Objections should be in writing and mailed to:

The Secretary of State for Transport
Government Office for the North East
Local Authority Orders Section
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4WH

Our colleagues at http://www.newbridgematters.blogspot.com/ are encouraging people to attend this Pre-Inquiry and show the strength of feelings on this.