Government Welcomes Bath Transport Plan

Bold Liberal Democrat plans to finally fix Bath’s traffic and pollution problems have been given crucial support by the Government today. It has welcomed the Bath Transport Strategy which includes plans for a new railway station, dubbed Bathampton Parkway, with a large hidden car park. This is the clearest indication yet that the scheme will get the green light.

The Transport Strategy, which was adopted last month, includes a visionary Park & Rail scheme. This will mean that local residents and commuters arriving from the East of the city will avoid the current stop-start struggle into the city along London   Road. Instead they will be whisked into Bath in just 4 minutes on trains running four times an hour. A knock-on benefit to Bath residents will be significant reductions in traffic and pollution.

Parliamentary candidate for Bath, Steve Bradley, recently visited Bathampton with Nick Clegg to explain Bath’s desperate need for the schemes, leading to today's announcement. Steve commented:

"I want to make Bath even better, and I believe that these schemes will make a massive difference to the everyday lives of people in and around the city."

Leader of the Council, Councillor Paul Crossley, added:

"This very positive announcement allows us to move to the next level with this project, one that the LibDems have championed from its inception. There will, of course, be full public consultation on these schemes."

And speaking up for B&NES residents who live outside the city, Wera Hobhouse the Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for North East Somerset said:

"Bathampton Parkway Station will be a great help to people who live in the South or East of Bath. It will be much easier for them to get into the city or Bristol and beyond. To get a brand new station in our area is fantastic."

Today's government statement on the National Infrastructure Plan can be seen here: LINK.

The section on Bath reads as follows: "Bath City Centre Congestion Relief: The Government welcomes the strategy put forward by Bath and North East Somerset Council and the West of England LEP to improve transport capacity East of Bath and reduce city centre congestion. The government will consider a business case, which will be developed by Bath and North East Somerset Council that assesses the viability of proposals including a park and ride, as well as a park and rail service, located to the East of Bath."