The residents of Bath are rallying to raise funds for a legal challenge to reopen Sydney Road to traffic. This street was closed to through traffic in April as part of Bath and North East Somerset Council’s (B&NES) liveable neighbourhoods initiative.
While liveable neighbourhoods aim to improve safety and promote cycling and walking, they have stirred controversy with opponents arguing that such schemes may divert traffic to other roads, making them more dangerous. After the successful legal challenge against the Lower Lansdown liveable neighbourhood, residents are now aiming to raise £5,000 to contest the closure of Sydney Road.
The fundraiser, hosted on gofundme.com, highlights the widespread opposition among surrounding residents and concerns regarding reduced safety and increased congestion on alternative routes. The absence of an adequate statement of reasons regarding the aims of the experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO) further fuels the residents' confidence in their legal challenge.
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Neil McCabe, the initiator of the fundraiser, emphasized the potential negative impacts on safety and pollution caused by increased congestion on alternative routes, urging the community to support the cause. The adverse effects of the Sydney Road LTN were also echoed by neighboring residents who highlighted heightened traffic congestion and frequent near misses due to the road closure.
Conversely, some members of the community have expressed support for the liveable neighbourhood, emphasizing the liberation from vehicular dominance and the creation of safe spaces for pedestrians and cyclists. Despite such positive feedback, the controversial scheme has sparked parliamentary debates, underscoring the deeply polarized opinions surrounding the initiative.
Bath and North East Somerset Council’s assurance to reintroduce plans for the Lower Lansdown liveable neighbourhood, along with the call for increased powers to implement road closures with limited legal challenge, further exemplify the ongoing contentious nature of the issue.