Parking Strategy
Parking generates traffic. One of the success stories of recent years was the creation of the three Park & Ride (P&R) sites on the edge of Bath and the introduction of resident parking zones. Together these have played an important role in reducing car traffic entering the city.
The transfer of parking capacity from the central area to the periphery should continue with further expansion of P&R, in line with B&NES Council’s Parking Strategy. Improved P&R will encourage modal shift and reduce congestion and air pollution. The draft Local Plan update contains interesting ideas for developing the P&Rs into multi-modal interchange sites.
It is disappointing that the Council has concluded that there are no deliverable sites for a P&R east of Bath. It is essential that people travelling from the east have a viable alternative to the private car. The Council is looking into alternative solutions. A solution is needed urgently to reduce car traffic into the city.
In the short term the best use should be made of the existing P&Rs. They should stay open later into the evening, and with secure overnight parking. The Council could start by changing signs like this, which suggest that P&R is only for ‘busy periods’. No wonder some motorists drive right past, into the city!
For traffic coming from the east into Bath surely the most sensible solution would be smaller PandR sites near the towns, feeding into bus services that then proceed with only a very few stops at focus points (where rural residents can park) . The beauty of this is that it also takes traffic off the roads coming towards Bath, which are regularly choked with 1 ton of metal for each one/two travellers.
Yes, I agree that this is an excellent solution for commuters if it can be pieced together and the bus offer is sensibly priced. The Council did have a name for this – something to do with ‘hubs’.