Double Yellow Lines for Oldfield

Monksdale Road, Junction Road, Englishcombe Lane and Third Ave/King Edward Road are all due to have small sections of double yellow line added to prevent inconsiderate parking and improve visibility for road users.

These proposals are the result of Oldfield residents telling us that that double yellow lines were needed at these locations.

You can see the plans by clicking on the links below:

Plan 14, Englishcombe Lane, No Waiting At Anytime (In front of the Tesco Express)

Plan 15, Monksdale Road, No Waiting At Anytime (Opposite 1-11 Monksdale Road)

Plan 16, Junction Road, No Waiting At Anytime (Between Winchester Road and Lower Oldfield Park)

Plan 17, Third Avenue & King Edward Road, No Waiting At Anytime (Third Ave / King Edward Rd Junction)

12 Bus service safe

Faresaver will withdraw their  Service 12 that operates between Haycombe Cemetery and Bath city centre on Mondays to Fridays; and terminate the contract they operate on behalf of the Council for the Saturday service on the route.

The Council has made emergency arrangements for Bugler Coaches to operate Service 12 on Mondays to Saturdays from 2 June 2011 until March 2012.

On Mondays to Saturdays, Service 12 will operate every 40 minutes from 0900 to 1500, with a break at lunchtime. On Saturdays, buses will run later until 1620. All buses will operate via Dartmouth Avenue in both directions (as currently happens on Saturdays and Sundays). On Sundays & Bank Holidays, Service 12 will continue to be operated by First and there will be no change to the timetable.

New timetable leaflets are being produced and they will be distributed in the week before the changes take place. Timetable information for all local bus services is available from Traveline at www.traveline.info or telephone 0871 200 2233 (calls cost 10p per minute plus network charges).

Our manifesto – responding to our community

We’ve had such a warm welcome on the doorstep in recent weeks and months and an overwhelming response to our survey.

We have analysed the results and have come up with four key areas you have told us we should focus on.

1. Improve Housing and Sense of Community

You’ve told us that there’s a good sense of community, but we want to:

  • Stop any more houses becoming homes in multiple occupation (HMOs);
  • Continue working with the Universities and Letting Agents to upgrade the standard of existing HMOs and promote a balanced and diverse community;
  • Support community initiatives such as litter picks, winter gritting and new Community Groups.

2. Work to improve Transport, Parking and the Environment

This is a challenge, but we want to:

  • Improve Home to School Transport options;
  • Support and protect the existing 10 and 17 bus services and Oldfield Park Station;
  • Continue to enhance Linear Park as an important local community space by promoting the new path;
  • Try to improve the parking arrangements in our area;
  • Reduce speeding along Englishcombe Lane and the “Rat Runs” through Moorfields.

3. Maintain Moorland Road as the heart of the South of Bath

Moorland Road is amazing, but we want to:

  • Improve the layout of crossings for pedestrians and fix the sunken pavements;
  • Secure the future of the Christmas lights;
  • Support the Post Office and Library and ensure that it remains a shopping street.

4. Tackle Crime and Anti Social Behaviour

We have some problems with crime and anti social behaviour so we want to:

  • Campaign for more visible police presence in our community;
  • Maintain the improvements made at Memorial Gardens and Sand Pits;
  • Continue working with SOMER and the Police to reduce the public presence of day time drinkers, and ensure that support is available to the people who need it.

Click here to read the Liberal Democrats Manifesto for the whole of the Bath and North East Somerset area.

Bridges: Monksdale & Millmead Roads

New Bridges for the Two Tunnels Route

Access ramp, missing bridge, Linear ParkSustrans have submitted a pair of planning applications for the replacement bridges that will span two roads in Oldfield Park – Millmead Road and Monksdale Road. Help the route: follow the link and provide a supportive comment – no need to write pages, but just a sentence describing why the bridges are a good idea for the route.

Why does the route need bridges?

Route walk: Dartmouth Avenue: bridge siteThe current arrangements, for many, are no obstacle at all, so it can be difficult at first to see why the crossings actually need replacement bridges and new ramps. The access ramps were built at a time when far less was known about accessibility – they’re pretty steep. Something better’s needed because ramps, gates and road crossings can be a serious issue if you happen to have a pushchair/young children/pets – and may be a complete blocker if you happen to be in a wheelchair.

The new bridges will allow an easy crossing of the two roads. At the same time, replacement ramps on an easier gradient will allow far better access to the new Two Tunnels route – especially for people in wheelchairs. Lastly – and this is something that’s provided much of the funding – the two new bridges will provide safe routes for people to Oldfield Park’s schools.

Alternatives

One alternative would be to ease the gradient of the existing ramps – which would have meant a great deal more material removed from the embankments – and would have retained the road crossings, which may then have justified (expensive) signal controlled Toucan crossings.

The other alternative is to put in bridges. These will not be replacements of the narrow masonry arches of the originals. Instead, the proposal is to build out the existing embankment to close the gap to thirty metres, and this will then be bridged with a steel span of a specific type – a ‘Warren Truss’ – here’s more from ‘Wisegeek’ on Warren Truss bridges. A bridge of this type will be lighter than the original, but will be a good fit for the location – and they’re commonly used in connection with railway works. A bollard at either end of each bridge will prevent vehicle access.

So let’s build bridges

Linear Park, North of Dartmouth AvenueIn the planning application, you’ll find details of the design – for instance, the bridge spans will be supported on concrete plinth foundations within the tips of the embankment at either end. It may even be that the cores of the earthworks for the new bridges will be made with some of the material from the Devonshire Tunnel cutting. (For one of the bridges this would mean that it will be brought back to the place from which it was removed). You’ll also see that the existing slope will first be stripped and ‘Stepped’ to key the new material into the old railway earthworks – this is a high quality and secure approach to building earthworks: sometimes neglected, but not in this case.

These two bridges will be an asset to the route, and the people who will use them for day to day travel. Please help them into being by supporting the planning applications.

Changes to local bus timetable Routes 8, 18 and 418

The changes listed below have been notified to the Council as at 26 July 2010. Bus operators are required to give eight weeks notice of any changes to the routes or timetables of their services. However, under certain circumstances, the Traffic Commissioner may permit changes at short notice. Please note that operators of commercial bus services are free to change them without consultation.

The changes will take place from 5th September 2010

8

Kingsway – Oldfield Park – City Centre – Bath University

First

Timetable revised including changes to departure times. 1 extra journey provided between Bath University and Kingsway. Re-routed via North Parade and Pulteney Road instead of Pulteney Bridge, Great Pulteney Street, Edward Street and Vane Street. Buses towards University of Bath will continue to stop in High Street (Cf).

 

Wards affected: Abbey, Bathwick, Oldfield, Southdown, Westmoreland, Widcombe.

18

City Centre – University of Bath

First

Revised to operate between Lower Oldfield Park and University of Bath – see 418. Re-routed via North Parade and Pulteney Road instead of Pulteney Bridge, Great Pulteney Street, Edward Street and Vane Street. Buses towards University of Bath will continue to stop in High Street (Cf).  Frequency reduced.

 

 

Wards affected: Abbey, Bathwick, Oldfield, Widcombe.

418, 419

Bath Spa University – City Centre – University of Bath

First

Services replaced by two new services between Bath Spa University and City Centre (SPA1 and SPA2) and Service 18 between Lower Oldfield Park and University of Bath. See separate entries.

 

Wards affected: Abbey, Bathavon West, Kingsmead, Newbridge, Twerton, Widcombe, Westmoreland.

SPA 1 & 2

Bath Spa University – City Centre

First

New services replacing 418 and 419 between Bath Spa University and City Centre. SPA 1 runs via Newbridge Road, Upper Bristol Road and Oldfield Park to terminate. SPA 2 via Lower Bristol Road & City Centre. SPA services runs every 20 mins during university terms with a higher peak frequency. Half hourly in university holidays and evenings. Runs hourly on Saturdays and Sundays.

 

Wards affected: Abbey, Bathavon West, Kingsmead, Newbridge, Twerton, Widcombe, Westmoreland.

If you have any comments on these changes, please let us know.

Don backs concerns of Travel Watch South West

Bath MP Don Foster is backing Travel Watch South West’s call for improved rail services in the region. The group have written to Lord Adonis, Secretary of State for transport, welcoming 30 new carriages for the region but raising a number of other concerns, mainly linked to the lack of rolling stock in the South West. Don said,

The level of rolling stock in the South West is simply not adequate to cope with demand. Too many passengers are being left on train platforms at peak time, unable to get on their train. Network Rail reports have shown the need for extra carriages across the region, but the government is not acting. We want more and more people to use the rail network, rather than private transport, but when capacity is inadequate it is no wonder many prefer to use their car. I look forward to seeing Lord Adonis’s response to this issue.

Planting at Oldfield Park Station – On-Board Project

We hope that local residents will be able to join in a planting project, orgainised by the local voluntary group, On-Board, as part of its participation in the RHS Britain in Bloom & It’s Your Neighbourhood Launch Events 2010.

The concept they have chosen to shape the event around is “mass greening/creating a river of green” across the UK so the idea is that the launch events would be centred around planting. They are hoping to catch the press attention particularly because this can be linked into the fact that 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity.

On 24th March the RHS will be organising a national press launch before the local events, to announce this is happening and start generating the media buzz. In partnership with a local group the RHS will stage a “greening event” which the press would be invited to attend.

June Player is entering the On-Board Community Project into this event and she now finalising their involvement before registering it with them, which has to be done as soon as possible. They have been informed that we will be planting on Saturday 27th March in the afternoon (which will last for approximately 2 hours) – actual time will be given this coming week. Can you let us know if you are able to come that day and at what time?

The Council’s Parks Department are kindly helping in this event and there will be 100 whips of a variety of trees and shrubs. There should be a good mix of students, other locals, and ‘On-Boarders’, etc to ‘dig in’!

Many thanks to those who came to the recent Linear Park Litter Pick which was most successful.

Next PACT meeting – 10th March 2010

Partners and Communities Together (PACT) gives you a chance to meet the local Police team, your local councillors, Will and Shaun, and influence priorities in our neighbourhood.

It will be held at Moorlands Infants School, Moorfields Road, and start at 6.30pm. Please come along to discuss any issues of concern you may have in your community.

Current public priorities were established on 4th November 2010:

1. Problems with residents of the flats on Poplar Close and Monksdale Road;
2. Street Cleansing, state of the pavements;
3. Speeding on First, Second and Third Avenues, Oldfield Lane, and King Edward Road. Potential implementation of a One Way system?

If you are untable to attend, but want to voice your local priorities or issues, please email us at: oldfieldbath@googlemail.com