Opinion
Featured in: Bath Chronicle, September 2009
Dear Editor,
Pollution levels in parts of Bath are among the highest in the country. In some areas they are even higher than the United Nations’ targets on minimum pollution levels.
This is a long standing problem in our city and one of deep concern to Bath’s residents. The issue of high-pollution levels is mainly the result of two factors: firstly, Bath is a congested city, and when cars are at a stand-still they emit higher levels of pollution. Secondly, Bath is in a basin surrounded by hills, meaning pollution cannot easily escape.
There is of course little that can be done about Bath’s topography, but we can take action to tackle congestion and the fumes caused by it. Removing cars from central Bath and encouraging more people onto alternative transport is vital if we are to reduce this congestion and pollution. Reducing the number of HGV’s coming into Bath is also an important element, and plans for an out-of-town ‘transhipment’ depot where lorries unload outside of Bath should help this.
Park and Rides are a proven and effective way of removing cars from the centre of cities, and in Bath we already have three successful Park and Ride sites. Increasing the number of Park and Ride spaces by more than double will remove thousands more cars off Bath’s roads, particularly on the roads leading into Bath such as the London Road and Wellsway.
Improving public transport with bus priority measures and new bus lanes can also encourage more people to leave their cars at home and use public transport instead. This, coupled with more cycle routes, can mean fewer cars entering the centre of Bath and allow for more pedestrian zones in the city centre.
These plans, contained in the Bath Transport Package, are an essential start to tackling the problem of congestion and reducing pollution levels in our city. For those of us living in Bath, who have to live with the pollution and congestion every day, these plans are a welcome step towards tackling this important issue.
Yours faithfully,
Cllr Malcolm Lees,
Cons, Weston