New Bridges for the Two Tunnels Route

Sustrans 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.

• 10/04378/FUL Monksdale Road Bridge
• 10/04379/FUL Millmead Road Bridge

Why does the route need bridges?

The 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

In 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.

Councillor Paul Crossley, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on B&NES Council, has called on the Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Councillor Charles Gerrish, to make clear that the Council will back the Two Tunnels project properly and not leave their support up in the air. The Cabinet member is free to make a decision on how the Council will help the Two Tunnels project to go ahead.  Councillor Crossley has called on him to consider the following points before making the decision: 

• The Liberal Democrat Group fully supports the Two Tunnels cycle route project and the Council should do the same.
• The Council is due to support the project with £100,000 a year for the next two years, but for the following two years the funding has not been confirmed – this leads to a lack of certainty for the project team and the funding should be made definite.
• The Liberal Democrats support the proposal that the Council should act as ‘commissioner’ for the project to allow VAT to be reclaimed.
• However the proposal that Sustrans and Two Tunnels should be responsible for “Relevant Council costs associated with the administration of its involvement with the project and documentation costs etc” should be changed.

The Two Tunnels team is a small charity with willing volunteers engaged on one of the most exciting cycle projects in the country.  It is great to have on board the UK’s number one cycle charity as well in the form of Sustrans.  However this paragraph, as written, gives no clue as to what the potential liabilities may be to the project.  The Two Tunnels team has to embark on a big fundraising scheme to raise another £400K approximately and for them to take on a commitment to reimburse the Council for open-ended costs could put the project in jeopardy. 

The Council currently has large reserves and has recently granted £200K to the Holburne.  Surely this project – which will help reduce congestion and will contribute to the Council’s own priorities – deserves equivalent support? The Two Tunnels project will bring communities closer together along a broad corridor.  Cyclists, and also walkers, will get easy access out to local beauty spots such as Midford and Wellow and conversely people from Midford, Wellow, and beyond could cycle safely into Bath to work or for pleasure.  It will encourage more people off the road.

A campaign to win a portion of £50 million of Lottery funding to create new cycle routes in Bath has been successful.

It was revealed on the 12th December that the Two Tunnels project will be awarded £1m, thanks to the votes of local people.

The project is part of a national initiative by sustainable transport charity Sustrans and is supported by the Council. Sustrans battled its way into a shortlist of four organisations competing for the £50 million pot to fund projects around the country, under the National Lottery’s The People’s Millions scheme.

The Sustrans project is called Connect2. Once complete the project will see hundreds of miles of walking and cycling routes spring up around the UK – providing extra bridges, extra links – improving travel and reducing our carbon footprint. Two Tunnels is just one of the many projects included in this scheme.

The multi-user path will join Bath and Midford by a virtually flat system of tunnels and impressive overland paths following the existing disused railway. The route makes a wide sweep through Oldfield Park, surfaces in the secretive Lyncombe Vale and finally emerges in beautiful open country at Tucking Mill, before joining the long distance Sustrans NCN24 route at Midford.

The campaign promoters expect the ‘Two Tunnels’ route to benefit businesses, residents and visitors. They believe it will encourage visitors to stay for more than a simple two-hour visit to the city centre, and make more use of what Bath has to offer. It will also secure the future for the impressive railway structures on this famous old route, and offers a chance to make good use of some of Bath’s more under-appreciated assets, reclaiming them for residents and visitors.

However, the route first has to be built, and while much of the work has already been done courtesy of the Victorian engineers who built the railway, it will cost an estimated £1.8 million to complete.

Further information on the Connect2 project is available at http://www.sustransconnect2.org.uk/.
For more information on the Two Tunnels Greenway, see:http://www.twotunnels.org.uk/

£50 million, four competitors and only one winner. The polls are open. Have you voted yet?
Two projects to create new cycle routes in Bath and Norton Radstock are part of the 79 schemes UK-wide that will happen if Sustrans’ Connect2 wins, so please vote to bring a share of £50 million to our area.

You can play your part in winning the bid by voting and asking everyone you know to vote too. Just a few moments of your time could make all the difference.

You can vote online now at www.sustransconnect2.org.uk. Telephone voting will begin on Friday 7 December. All voting concludes at 12 noon on Monday 10 December. The telephone number will be able on the sustrans website.

Two formerly glorious but long disused railway tunnels will become part of an exciting cycle and walking route between Midford and Bath. There are three opportunities to vote for this project to win the funding – online now, and by landline and mobile from 7 December. All voting concludes at midday 10 December, with the winner announced on 12 December.

The Two Tunnels Greenway Project will create something to enjoy for cycle commuters, families, walkers and tourists from a series of disconnected parts of the old Somerset and Dorset railway, running south from Bath and beneath Combe Down. It will link to the Bath-Bristol cycle path at the northern end and also give commuters from Midsomer Norton and Radstock a pleasant, flat route into Bath from the South.

The project is part of a national project by sustainable transport charity Sustrans and is supported by Bath & North East Somerset Council. Sustrans has battled its way into a shortlist of four organisations competing for the £50 million pot to fund projects around the country, under the National Lottery’s The People’s Millions scheme.

The Sustrans project is called Connect2. If it wins in December, it will see hundreds of miles of walking and cycling routes spring up around the UK – providing extra bridges, extra links – improving travel and reducing our carbon footprint. Two Tunnels is just one of the many projects included in this scheme.

The multi-user path will join Bath and Midford by a virtually flat system of tunnels and impressive overland paths following the existing disused railway. The route makes a wide sweep through Oldfield Park, surfaces in the secretive Lyncombe Vale and finally emerges in beautiful open country at Tucking Mill, before joining the long distance Sustrans NCN24 route at Midford.
The campaign promoters expect the ‘Two Tunnels’ route to benefit businesses, residents and visitors. They believe it will encourage visitors to stay for more than a simple two-hour visit to the city centre, and make more use of what Bath has to offer. It will also secure the future for the impressive railway structures on this famous old route, and offers a chance to make good use of some of Bath’s more under-appreciated assets, reclaiming them for residents and visitors.
However, the route first has to be built, and while much of the work has already been done courtesy of the Victorian engineers who built the railway, it will cost an estimated £1.8 million to complete.

The businesses of Bath & North East Somerset can help by alerting their staff and their clients to this opportunity to vote for something good for Bath & North East Somerset. Organisers are asking businesses to ask their staff and clients to sign up for a voting reminder at www.sustransconnect2.org.uk.

For more information on the Two Tunnels Greenway, see:http://www.twotunnels.org.uk/

For information on Sustrans Connect2, visit: http://www.sustransconnect2.org.uk/