Green Party councillors in Bath have expressed relief over the cancellation of a contentious bus gate proposed for the city’s eastern side, but they’re urging the council to rethink its entire approach to liveable neighbourhoods.
On February 18, 2025, Bath and North East Somerset Council scrapped plans for a bus gate at the Camden Road/Eastbourne Avenue, Fairfield Road, and Tyning Lane crossroads. The measure was part of its liveable neighbourhood initiative, designed to cut traffic on residential streets and boost walking and cycling. However, it drew fierce pushback from locals, including a GP surgery and a coalition of 24 residents’ associations, as well as Green councillors Joanna Wright and Saskia Heijltjes from the nearby Lambridge ward.
Wright called the decision “a small win for residents,” but didn’t hold back on criticizing the council’s approach. “It exposes a council more interested in pandering to a handful of voters than truly addressing community concerns. This isn’t how you build a better Bath or create liveable neighbourhoods,” she said. Having authored the liveable neighbourhood policy as a Liberal Democrat cabinet member before switching to the Greens in 2021, Wright has since slammed its execution, arguing the council has veered off course and failed to account for displaced traffic.
Before the cancellation, she cautioned the Local Democracy Service: “This plan would shunt traffic down Snow Hill, through one of Bath’s poorest neighborhoods, just to spare wealthier areas up top.” The Greens are now advocating for a “community-driven” redesign of the east Bath liveable neighbourhood, one that serves everyone, not just a privileged few.
The scrapped bus gate sparked fears among residents that it would worsen local traffic woes rather than solve them. In a February 18 letter to the community, council leader Kevin Guy acknowledged the backlash. “We’re listening to residents and Walcot ward councillors,” he wrote. “On January 28, I reviewed a draft plan from consultants and officers meant for further public input this month. After discussions with cabinet members and ward councillors, it was evident that, despite prioritizing buses and curbing cut-through traffic on Camden Road, the proposal wouldn’t resolve broader traffic issues in the area.”
Guy shelved the plan, opting instead to pursue a wider solution tackling traffic across Walcot, Larkhall, and Lambridge. “Every resident I’ve spoken to is fed up with through-traffic dodging London Road via residential streets,” he noted. “I’m committed to collaborating with locals, businesses, and councillors to address this, but it hinges on securing external funding.”
He promised to reengage the community for a more comprehensive liveable neighbourhood plan, though he cautioned that funding delays could push progress back years. The Liberal Democrats, with 40 councillors, helm Bath and North East Somerset Council, while the Greens, with three, form part of the opposition.
Wright and Heijltjes are hosting a public meeting at New Oriel Hall on March 19, from 6:00 to 7:15 p.m., inviting residents to share ideas for a fairer, more inclusive plan.
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