Questions remain over Keynsham bypass, says councillor

QUESTIONS remain over whether bus lanes will be installed on the Keynsham bypass, a local councillor has said.

Alan Hale, who represents Keynsham South on Bath & North East Somerset Council as an independent, said the route’s future as an uninterrupted dual carriageway is still in doubt.

He spoke after an online meeting with Helen Godwin, the Mayor of the West of England, to whom he said he has written several times about the bypass.

Cllr Hale said Ms Godwin made it clear that a 24/7 bus lane previously proposed for the bypass is no longer part of the A4 plans being considered by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), which she leads.

He said she told him that, before becoming mayor, she visited Keynsham and found that about 90% of people she spoke to were firmly against the idea. She had therefore pledged not to introduce a 24/7 bus lane if elected.

However, when asked whether parts of the bypass could be reduced to one lane to allow a rush-hour bus lane, Ms Godwin would not be drawn, Cllr Hale said.

“Mayor Godwin said work is under way to bring forward alternatives for consultation, and that councillors would be informed as soon as consultation plans are finalised,” he said.

Cllr Hale said he warned that a rush-hour bus lane could turn Keynsham into a rat run, pushing traffic onto roads through the town, clogging routes and worsening air quality around the High Street.

He also criticised an earlier suggestion to cut the dual carriageway’s speed limit to 40mph to accommodate a bus lane and to provide crossing points to reach the Bath-bound side of the bypass, as well as a bus stop.

“This would be nonsense both from a road safety point of view and yet another restriction on those who drive cars,” he said.

Cllr Hale also warned against building a proposed transport hub on part of Keynsham Memorial Park, saying it would mean the loss of mature trees and long-standing greenery. He added that cycle lanes linked to the hub through the park could pose a danger to children playing there.

Also taking part in the online meeting were fellow B&NES independent councillors Shaun Hughes (Midsomer Norton North) and Colin Blackburn (Westmoreland, Bath).

Cllr Hughes said some constituents in Midsomer Norton can no longer get to work by bus following recent service changes by First Bus. Cllr Hale described the changes as a “fiasco currently inflicting pain on bus travellers” in Keynsham and elsewhere.

In response, Ms Godwin urged councillors to make constituents aware of the bus consultation WECA is running on its website at http://haveyoursaywest.co.uk/betterbuses.

Cllr Hale said: “I would encourage people to have their say, because if you do not tell them your thoughts then they will make decisions based on their own views – and they might not ride the buses for work or pleasure.

“Considering what has already been done to services, a large dose of common sense and stakeholder involvement is vital.”

The consultation is open until May 10.