An additional Bath street will be closing to facilitate the installation of sliding bollards, marking the final phase to complete the city’s “ring of steel” anti-terror zone.
Beginning in mid to late May, the installation work on Lower Borough Walls is estimated to span five months. Pedestrian and wheelchair access will be maintained, while cyclists and permitted vehicles will be diverted through Hot Bath Street, where sliding bollards have already been installed. Throughout this period, all disabled parking bays on Lower Borough Walls will be unavailable, with alternatives on Beau Street remaining accessible.
This marks the last installation of bollards as part of the city center security scheme, aimed at limiting vehicle access to prevent potential terror attacks in crowded tourist areas. The bollards are designed to restrict access to the city center from 10 am to 6 pm, though they will open for blue badge holders and other exemptions.
READ MORE: New Children’s Gym Opens in Bath
READ MORE: New Children’s Gym Opens in Bath
The Bath and North East Somerset Council has confirmed the adherence to the earmarked budget of £7.4m for the scheme, despite its initial cost of £2.2m. With bollards already in place on York Street, Cheap Street, and Hot Bath Street, and the final touches being made on Upper Borough Walls, the project is nearing completion.
Manda Rigby, council cabinet member for highways, expressed gratitude to businesses and residents for their patience amidst the challenging installation conditions. Rigby also assured that efforts will be made to minimize disruptions during the final phase of the scheme.
In an effort to keep the community informed, a drop-in information session is scheduled for 9 May at the Brunswick (Braunschweig) Room in the Guildhall from 11 am to 3.30 pm. Preparatory “trial hole investigation” is set to commence on May 13, lasting approximately three weeks leading up to the main works.
Lower Borough Walls, beginning from its junction with Bilbury Lane by Pigeon Park, will be closed during the installation period. Bilbury Lane will also undergo a brief closure at the onset of the works for the completion of utility diversion efforts.
The decision to employ sliding bollards was necessitated by the presence of vaults and cellars beneath the street level, which posed challenges for traditional retractable bollards. However, concerns have arisen regarding the functionality of the sliding bollards.
A previous incident on December 23 saw ambulances unable to reach the city center due to a failed sliding bollard on Cheap Street. The council has since initiated an investigation to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.