The Mayor of Bradford on Avon has written to Wiltshire Council in response to their briefing note (linked below) on a new traffic system for the town.
Wiltshire Council issued the briefing note on Monday 23 December, in response to a unanimous motion passed by Bradford on Avon Town Council on 24 September 2024. The motion read:
Bradford on Avon Town Council recommends Wiltshire Council to design a scheme on an experimental traffic order with the ability to be made permanent, and which will be assessed continually against our top priority of pedestrian safety, which has:
- 20mph speed limits throughout the town
- wider pavements being prioritised and maximised throughout the scheme, particularly at the bottom of Silver Street and the top of Market Street
- one-way traffic east to west on Silver Street
- two-way traffic on Masons Lane
- serious consultative mitigation measures put in place from the start in any areas negatively impacted
- transparent consultation with emergency services, local bus services and local schools on the impacts of any scheme.
We are open to exploring both one-way and priority shuttle working at the top of market street, and would welcome guidance from expert Wiltshire Council highway engineers as to which system it would be most beneficial to our priorities to put in place first on a trial basis.
In its briefing note, Wiltshire Council stated the next steps would be do a feasibility study to determine the need for a bus gate on Silver Street.
At the latest Full Council meeting, councillors reviewed Wiltshire Council’s response and raised concerns about areas of confusion.
These included the introduction of a bus contraflow system as a non-negotiable for any one-way scheme on Silver Street and the possibility of a trial around the pinch point at the top of Market Street.
On 20 January, Councillor Vittles wrote to Samantha Howell, Director of Highways and Transport at Wiltshire Council. You can read the email in full via the links below.
A briefing note is a short, clear document that summarises a topic and offers recommendations.
A contraflow system is a traffic management strategy that permits vehicles to travel in the opposite direction to the usual flow of traffic.
Email from the Mayor to the Director of Highways and Transport at Wiltshire Council
Dear Samantha,
Thank you for the briefing note produced following our meeting on November 27. We discussed this at our Full Town Council Meeting on Tuesday January 7.
At this meeting, all town councillors raised concerns about the shifting parameters from Wiltshire Council with regards to implementing a traffic scheme in Bradford on Avon.
Issues raised include:
Bus Service uphill on Silver Street
One area of particular concern was the section which said ‘WC stance is that if eastbound (uphill) bus movements cannot be accommodated then two-way working would have to be retained. Removal of bus route is unacceptable.’
While we agree that the bus route was a requirement stipulated by WC during the modelling process, we clearly understood from the meeting on June 21 last year that this requirement could be relaxed. For that reason, the bus service was not mentioned in our resolution sent to you on October 1. However, we now understand that provision of a bus contraflow system to allow buses uphill on Silver Street is a red line and your briefing note states ‘the next steps would be to conduct a detailed technical feasibility study to determine if a bus gate was deliverable on the ground.’ We are disappointed that this did not take place as part of the modelling, particularly as this is a Wiltshire Council red line to deliver any traffic scheme in BOA.
Regardless, we would like to accept your offer to produce a detailed technical feasibility study on a bus contraflow system.
This will then give us a clear direction. Indeed, it is absolutely crucial. As your position is that one way working is not deliverable without provision for an uphill bus service on Silver Street, any form of one-way could not be delivered by Wiltshire Council if a bus contraflow system proves unworkable. We also want to state again that our number one priority remains pedestrian safety in the town, and that we have concerns that provision for the bus service to go uphill on Silver Street will limit the opportunity to widen pavements.
Can you please provide us with a timescale for this study? As I’m sure you’re aware, this is a topic of much interest in Bradford on Avon and the town council and residents are frustrated by the slow progress of this project.
Market Street
With regards the pinch point on Market Street, we think some confusion may have been caused.
Our motion as passed at our full council in September was asking for expert advice on whether a trial would best take place with the whole of Market Street changed to one way, or if two-way working should be retained but with a priority uphill shuttle system on the pinch point at the top of Market Street.
Our understanding is that the alterations to the road layout would be the same in both cases, allowing for one or other to be trialled. We know that a trial is likely to be disruptive, so it seems prudent to implement it in such a way that it has the best chance of long term success, minimising the need for future changes and consequent disruption and expense. The Town Council will respect and support your recommendation on this issue.
20 mph
We also want to restate our request for 20mph speed limits across the town.
We appreciate there are parameters that must be met to instate this, and the attached map illustrates that much of the key network in the town meets the DfT guideline for implementation of 20mph speed limits.
Other authorities in the UK are making this a reality and it is a priority for us here in Bradford on Avon too – piecemeal 20mph speed limits often lead to expensive and confusing extra signage.
We would appreciate a reply to this letter, and update on the study, as soon as possible. For reference, our next Sustainable Travel committee meeting is on February 4 and our next Full Town Council meeting is on March 11. Agenda papers for both will be circulated the Thursday before the meetings.
Best wishes,
Councillor Jack Vittles, Mayor of Bradford on Avon on behalf of Bradford on Avon Town Council