Western Gateway Consultation

Western Gateway Sub-national Transport Body consulted on its Strategic Plan earlier this month (see it at: https://westerngatewaystb.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Making-the-right-choices-April-2023.pdf.)  The Alliance has responded as follows:

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on your consultation, and particularly the M4 to South Coast connectivity aspects of it.

A World Heritage City is not suited to be on the strategic road network, particularly with narrow, Listed Cleveland Bridge in the centre of Bath on the route (currently limited to 18t loading).  There are also serious issues with the ability of the A36 through the Limpley Stoke Valley to carry heavy traffic.  

The A350 has received a good deal of improvement in recent years, and is the more suitable route.   At the least, the A46-A36 and the A350 routes should be given equal status in the road hierarchy – at present the former is part of the National Strategic Route Network while the latter is just part of the Primary Route Network.   We would also support the report’s suggestion of a new railway station at Corsham, which might make some contribution towards meeting the problematic lack of a park-and-ride service into the city of Bath from the east.  This currently leads to crippling congestion and illegal pollution on the A4 link from Cleveland Bridge to the A46, whereas park-and-ride facilities exist to north, south and west of Bath, with correspondingly easier movement.