Somerset Council’s highways team has advised against major changes to Bridgwater’s Celebration Mile, concluding that none of the four proposed options would meaningfully reduce traffic congestion in the town centre.
The Celebration Mile, funded with £9 million from the government-backed Bridgwater town deal, currently includes one-way systems along Eastover, East Quay, and Salmon Parade. While these were designed to improve traffic flow between Bridgwater railway station and the Northgate Docks, the cancellation of planned upgrades to the Cross Rifles roundabout has contributed to worsening congestion, fueling frustration among residents and local businesses alike.
A petition signed by over 5,800 community members prompted the council to conduct a thorough review of the scheme, involving detailed traffic monitoring. In response, some parking spaces on Salmon Parade have already been reinstated, with a comprehensive report scheduled for presentation before the executive committee on June 3 in Taunton.
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The report outlines four options:
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Maintain the current one-way system while adding unspecified new parking spaces.
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Reverse traffic flow on Salmon Parade to southbound only, keeping East Quay as is; this might improve conditions on the A38 Broadway and Monmouth Street but could increase congestion downtown during peak hours and eliminate the existing cycle link from the railway station via Cranleigh Gardens.
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Restore two-way traffic on both East Quay and Salmon Parade, which would optimize traffic flow but contradict objectives by increasing vehicle dominance, potentially compromising pedestrian and cyclist safety.
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Implement one-way southbound traffic on both East Quay and Salmon Parade, a low-performing option that fails to offer significant benefits.
Mike O’Dowd-Jones, the council’s service director for infrastructure and transport, emphasized that all options fall within the current Celebration Mile budget, avoiding additional taxpayer expenses. However, he cautioned that none promise substantial relief from congestion.
“Our journey time monitoring indicates that the current scheme does not cause severe traffic delays in Bridgwater,” O’Dowd-Jones stated. “While there have been occasional delays up to 12 minutes, particularly on A38 Broadway, these are isolated and linked to specific disruptions rather than the scheme itself. None of the options significantly reduce overall traffic delays.”
The Bridgwater town deal board is set to review these recommendations on June 1 and will present its advice to the council’s executive committee on June 3, which will make the final decision.