The ruling Conservative administration is getting into a knot over traffic. For years in opposition they opposed all the measures the Liberal Democrats proposed to improve bus flows. The bus gate proved to be one of the best traffic decisions taken. It enabled buses to flow through the city and has given us 7 years of bus passenger growth and a good network in Bath. Going back further they opposed the bus only access across Pultney Bridge and since they took control they have started to use the bus gate as a fine-revenue-collecting system.

Now they are using a threat of Gridlock to bulldoze through an inappropriate solution on the west of Bath to put in a bus rapid transit system and use up a valuable greenway. The Liberal Democrats have proposed a better bus based system round the Lower and Upper Bristol Roads and to bring this greenway back into use as a cycle and pedestrian route.

Residents have started their own website to oppose this plan = see this link.

The Conservatives are resisting all opportunity for public debate and have put out this Council PR council

Stark warning over worsening congestion

A new website - www.bathnes.gov.uk/stopgridlock - launched by Bath and North East Somerset Council provides a stark warning about increasing levels of traffic congestion.

Residents already face considerable difficulties using the area’s road network – but new figures from the Council reveal that the number of cars travelling through central Bath at rush hour is set to increase by 14% in just ten years. Some 27,000 people travel in and out of Bath by car for work every day. The annual cost of traffic congestion in the area is £50 million. One-fifth of travelling time is currently spent at a standstill in the West of England area, which also includes Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset.

Councillor Malcolm Hanney, Deputy Leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council, said: “Tackling congestion is one of the most difficult challenges facing the area now and in the future. The fact rush hour traffic in Bath will increase so considerably in the next ten years shows how crucial it is that residents and local businesses understand this problem and the need for effective, long-term solutions. This is purpose of the website. Bath and North East Somerset Council has a vision priority of improving transport and the public realm. If the Council is serious about achieving this prioirty then doing nothing is not an option.”

The website – www.bathnes.gov.uk/stopgridlock - outlines the scale of the traffic problems faced today and the challenges posed by Government proposals for significant growth. Over the coming weeks it will explore the measures being implemented by the Council to meet these challenges to provide better public transport, better personal transport, and unclog the roads. Residents will be able to subscribe to updates, and give their views about the challenges and measures being implemented by the Council.

Traffic problems in the area are widely recognised with a recent website suggesting that Bath is the 5^th most congested Parliamentary Constituency in the country. The independent Audit Commission corporate assessment of Bath and North East Somerset Council published in September stated:

“…much more remains to be done to deliver transport improvements. Congestion remains acute in the Bath area as roads are close to capacity. Proposals to build significant numbers of new homes in the area places even greater pressure on the transport infrastructure.”

Heritage is very important to the economy of Bath and NE Somerset Council. The Roman Baths are a magnificent centre piece for Bath. This weekend the tunnel vaults were opened up for public viewing so I went along for a tour. It is fascinating how much is stored down there and how much is still potentially waiting to be discovered. When the Roman Baths were discovered and restored the project was as controversial at the time as the recent development of our own Bath Spa. The Roman Baths were one of the best Thermal Spas of Roman Times. The new Bath Spa is the best in the Country today.

The Roman Baths bring in a considerable income to the Council and the new Spa is also leading regeneration and creation of a new spa culture in Bath. The Conservatives fought against the project tooth and nail and in the 1980s they closed the Kings Bath and turned them into shops.

Some of the vaults were also used in the recent BBC drama series Bonekickers such as these stones below.

Roman Baths vaults

Bath 37 Worcester 19

Bath played some fantastic rugby in this thrilling match and were basically always in control of the game. It was great to be at the Rec again in another sellout crowd in lovely September sunshine.

For many years now we have been working with the Charity Commission over the covenent covering the land. Hopefully all is now resolved and we will soon get an application from the club to develop the stadium to make it fit for the 21st Century. The vast majority of people in Bath want Bath Rugby to stay in the centre and on match days there is a real buzz around the city centre. There are some people though who do not want the rugby club there and hence years of legal battles and wrangling. Misleadingly they refer to themselves as Friends of the Rec and the link goes to one of the latest letters in the Bath Chronicle.

Ros Scott visited Bath today and met some of the local Bathwick and Abbey Ward members. In the presidential election I am backing Ros Scott. I think she will be the best person for the job, will get more cross-party working and thinking going and with her strong local government connections will be a great link between Councillors, activists and MPs.

Global Warming is a key issue facing all of us. I aim to reduce my carbon footprint as much as possible. My electricity is now through GoodEnergy which generates 100% renewable electricity. At the party conference in September I had the opportunity to meet up with Steve Webb MP to discuss the issue and urge him to increase the party commitments on the environmental. It is one of our USPs with the Conservatives and Labour inactive or non-commital on the agenda, or even worse supporting nightmare solutions such as nuclear power. What is clear we cannot proceed as we are.

Action needed now to stop flooding

Action is needed now to stop major flooding in the years ahead. The recent floods from Gloucestershire to Hull in the UK and in a number of countries around the world clearly demonstrate the the global nature of the problem.

With climate change leading to wetter weather and melting of the polar ice caps leading to rising sea levels, many areas in the UK are under threat of flooding. The picture below demonstrates what could happen in the UK if no action is taken to stop further climate change taking place.

Liberal Democrat plans to cut down on carbon emissions which are leading to climate change include:

• Cutting income tax and make polluters pay instead - so it pays to go green
• Making a big investment in public transport, including the immediate start on a high speed rail network
• Making energy companies use windfall profits to insulate homes, reducing emissions and cutting bills
• Shifting to cleaner, greener energy, with incentives for a massive expansion of renewable projects

We need action now and cannot wait till the coastline is creeping up towards Bath!!.