A group of nine opposition councillors from Bath and North East Somerset Council has called for a review of the council’s decision to permanently close Winifred’s Lane as part of a liveable neighbourhood (LTN) scheme. Liveable neighbourhoods are designed to reduce traffic in residential areas, promoting safer, quieter streets for walking and cycling. However, residents and campaigners warn that the closure of this steep, narrow lane at the top of Cavendish Road has increased traffic on nearby roads, raising safety concerns, particularly for schoolchildren.
Last month, council cabinet members voted to make the Winifred’s Lane closure permanent despite widespread public opposition. Now, nine councillors—including five independents, two Labour members, and both Conservatives—have formally called in the decision for scrutiny. The review panel is scheduled to examine the issue on February 23.
Colin Blackburn, the lead councillor calling for the review, emphasized the importance of holding the council accountable: “Ultimately, it’s the only scrutiny opportunity we have to question the council’s decision.” The call-in argues that the scheme is “empirically unsafe and deeply unpopular among the residents it aims to help.”
READ MORE: Bath Braces for Travel Chaos as Sold-Out Rugby Match and Mumford & Sons Concerts Clash
READ MORE: Matt Weston ‘More Confident Than Ever’ as He Targets Olympic Skeleton Gold
Public consultation results showed that 84% of respondents overall, including 72% of those living in the trial area, opposed keeping Winifred’s Lane closed. Council cabinet member Joel Hirst acknowledged the objections but said they “overstate the potential harm” caused by the LTN scheme.
The council report noted that while safety concerns were “not supported by monitoring,” traffic on Sion Road—near a primary school—has roughly doubled since the scheme’s implementation. Before the trial, approximately 1,022 vehicles used Sion Road daily; during the scheme, this number increased by 887 to 1,174 extra vehicles per day. The council also observed “poor driver behaviour” and pledged to implement mitigation measures to address these issues.
The Heart of Lansdown Conservation Group had warned prior to the trial that closing Winifred’s Lane would funnel more traffic onto roads with vulnerable pedestrian and school entrances. They recorded cars mounting pavements after the closure began. A spokesperson for the group responded to the council’s decision by stating, “This will put pedestrians, schoolchildren, and cyclists at risk. Despite raising these concerns repeatedly over 18 months, B&NES has not listened.”
Previously, a call-in to review another LTN scheme on Sydney Road was rejected along party lines when 72% of local respondents supported that scheme. However, in the case of Winifred’s Lane, the majority inside the trial area oppose the closure. Colin Blackburn highlighted the inconsistency: “Having experienced a call-in when the majority supported the scheme, it’s strange to see the reverse argument now being used.”
Winifred’s Lane closure is part of the broader “Lower Lansdown and Circus Liveable Neighbourhood” initiative, which also includes changes to Gay Street and restrictions on Catharine Place. Although campaigners urged separate decisions for each measure, the council maintains they are interdependent. According to council data, traffic has decreased on Cavendish Road, Lansdown Crescent, and surrounding streets, while increases on Julian Road and Morford Street remain within normal traffic fluctuations.
The council’s climate emergency and sustainability scrutiny panel will convene on February 23 at Bath’s Guildhall to review the call-in and the future of the scheme.