A £2.2 million plan to introduce a 206-metre bus lane along the A370 through the North Somerset village of Backwell has ignited significant fear and anger among local residents, prompting the council to reconsider the project. North Somerset Council’s proposed bus lane is part of a wider initiative funded by a substantial government grant aimed at improving bus services, but community backlash has led to a call-in by the council’s scrutiny panel.
The controversy centers on the bus lane’s location westbound on the A370, extending up to the crossroads with Station Road and Dark Lane. Changes include relocating the Bristol-bound Crossroads bus stop and removing pavement guardrails, which residents like Jeff Wells of the Backwell Residents Association argue poses serious safety concerns. “Lack of information has bred suspicion, fear, and anger,” Wells told the council’s corporate, assets, transport, and environmental services scrutiny committee.
Conservative councillor Michael Pryke likened the scheme to a “Clevedon Seafront debacle” but warned that this proposal carries an even higher risk of fatalities. He expressed alarm over the planned narrowing of lanes to three metres, stating this would jeopardize cyclist safety by eliminating safe overtaking space and would cause traffic queues. Pryke cautioned that the bus lane would slow down bus journeys and increase traffic congestion and pollution in the village center, thereby harming the local economy and public safety.
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In response, council officers argued that narrower lanes enhance cyclist safety by discouraging risky overtaking maneuvers and explained that modern road design avoids guardrails because they can trap pedestrians on the wrong side of the road. Council cabinet member for highways and transport Hannah Young emphasized the necessity of improving bus efficiency to keep public transport a viable option. “We cannot afford to let buses get stuck in traffic and become the last choice for riders,” she said.
The planned bus lane, along with the installation of a GPS-controlled traffic light system prioritizing buses, is expected to reduce bus journey times by approximately one minute westbound and 40 seconds eastbound. This would improve the financial sustainability of North Somerset’s busiest bus route, the X1, which currently serves 142,000 passengers monthly and requires 14 buses during peak hours. Shaving five minutes off the full round trip could reduce the number of buses needed, saving the operator £300,000 annually.
Despite these projected benefits, the scrutiny committee voted 6-2 in favor of calling in the plans to reconsider in light of community feedback. Pryke praised the panel’s decision, urging ongoing openness and fairness in addressing residents’ concerns.
Ms. Young acknowledged the importance of community input and indicated that the council would revisit the proposals after a thorough review of feedback. She stressed that maintaining and improving bus service efficiency on the Weston-super-Mare to Bristol corridor is vital for the future viability of public transport in North Somerset.
The bus lane project is part of a £47 million package funded by the government’s bus service improvement plan, awarded to North Somerset Council in 2022. Last year, the council paused the rollout of several bus lanes after widespread public opposition, underscoring the contentious nature of these initiatives.