Last year Sustrans launched a campaign to win the Big National lottery prize for cycleways all over the UK under the Connect 2 banner. Here in Bath we had our own link with the Two Tunnels Scheme, from the centre of Bath with Midford going underneath Combe Down via two tunnels – one of which will be very long. It is a fantastic scheme but the Conservative administration have been dithering for months over making a meaningful committment to this exciting scheme.

By contrast the position of the Liberal Democrats is clear – support the project and enable the partners to get on and deliver. Sustrans first route many years ago was the Bath to Bristol route. This new project with its long tunnel will be a wonderful addition to the cycle network.

Two Tunnels backing from Council must be clear: Lib Dems

 

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 this week 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.

Councillor Crossley commented:

 

“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?”

 

Councillor Neil Butters (Bathavon South) added:

 

“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.”

 

Councillor Crossley has urged that the relevant paragraph should be amended to read:

 

“The Council will set up a relevant and proportionate monitoring system to monitor the project and the potential costs of this will be agreed in advance with the Two Tunnels team and that the first £25K each year of Council costs will be borne in-house before any recharging takes place.”