Council warns of funding problems if transport scheme's scrapped

Wednesday, 17 September 2008

Bath and North East Somerset Council today revealed it could be facing a multi-million pound bill if it ditches controversial parts of a major transport package.

The council successfully bid for more than £50 million of Government money to pay for a programme of improvements across B&NES over the next four years.

The Bath Transportation Package includes a park and ride site built to the east of the city, the expansion of other park and ride sites and improvements to ten bus routes.

But it also includes the hotly-debated £16 million Bus Rapid Transit - a dedicated bus route connecting the new site with its counterpart in Newbridge.

Both the eastern park and ride scheme and the BRT have been attacked by pressure groups and residents concerned about the environmental and economic impact on the areas targeted for development.

But B&NES Council director for planning and transport development David Trigwell today issued a stark warning that rules regarding Government funding had now changed.

Mr Trigwell told the council’s Enterprise and Economic Development Overview and Scrutiny Panel that were the authority to go back to Whitehall with an alternative proposal for its transport package it could be asked to contribute 10 per cent of the overall cost.

This could mean the authority would face a bill for more than £5 miilion in order to secure the overall funding.

The council would also be sent to the back of the queue in the bidding process.

Mr Trigwell said: “When this council made its application the release of funding at that stage did not require a local contribution. Significantly since we made our application and got programme entry, the rules have been amended. For any further bid that we wish to make there will be an expectation of at least 10 per cent of a local contribution.”

The Bath Transportation Package will also include installation of electronic signs on major routes to show drivers availability of spaces in park-and-ride and parking sites.

Mr Trigwell said: “If we go back to the Government and say we need to revise our plans, then the council’s credibility, which has already seen a significant amount of taxpayers’ money being spent, will also be called into question.”

Today’s meeting also saw pressure groups, parish councils and residents from in and around the city call on the council to reject its plans for a park and ride facility at Bathampton in favour of a former airfield two and a half miles north of the A4 roundabout at Charmy Down.

Bathhampton Parish Council chairman Tony McCann said: “Scaremongering about being forced back into the bidding system is nothing but scaremongering until further discussions have taken place.”

Batheaston Parish Council member Sidney Freemantle referred the panel to a report by the Government Office for the South West in 2004 which said development of Bathampton Meadows would have a serious adverse impact on the landscape of the area.

Mr Freemantle also revealed the results of a survey of residents in Batheaston which showed more than 1,000 people opposed plans for the development of the Mill Lane site, which has replaced Lambridge as B&NES’s chosen site.

But Mr Trigwell said: “The reality is this city, both from an economic and residential point of view, needs significant improvements to be made in relation to its environment and pollution. This is only part of what this city needs over the next 20 years to deal with transportation and issues and ensure it is a safe and pleasant environment to live in. It is understandable that the greater benefit will have impacts upon areas of the community and that is something which the process we are looking at will address.”

Council officers are now due to meet parish councils in the areas affected by the transport package next week.

Consultation will continue with a final presentation on the proposals due in November before a planning application is submitted.