Planning and Transport Challenges 2024

Our area is on a radial commuter route from the south into the city, leading to heavy peak time traffic and associated commuter parking. It also has significant traffic flows associated with school runs to Beechen Cliff School.

The BFA therefore takes a close interest in the traffic situation and is in touch with Councillors and Council officials on a range of issues.

BFA also seeks to promote walking and cycling and to encourage the use of public transport. 

The BFA will make representation on your behalf to the various planning and transport issues that come up in our area.

Our Planning & Transport Group comments on a range of regional and local planning documents, an example being B&NES Council’s Placemaking Plan – a 2015  document produced to set out how the area should be protected and developed. A copy of the BFA response can be found here.

We also promote the protection of the amenities of Bear Flat and suggests improvements. In an unusual partnership, Bath and North East Somerset Council commissioned BFA to  produce a character appraisal for Bear Flat and Oldfield Park, and that study – one of a series about the Bath Conservation Area – is now on the Council web site where it can influence planning applications and policy. To read more about this, please visit our new Conservation Area Character Appraisal page.

B&NES Active Travel Masterplan

The Council’s Active Travel Masterplan aims to encourage and enable walking, cycling, and other forms of travel that involve physical exercise, ensuring safer, healthier, and more accessible transport options. A consultation took place in summer 2024.

BFA broadly supported the draft document. Many of the proposals support the BFA’s Vision for Bear Flat Centre, including provision of more active travel infrastructure and reallocation of road space. BFA’s response to the B&NES Consultation is at here

Transport proposals for Bear Flat:

WECA consulted on their scheme for the A367 through Bear Flat in summer 2023.  There is more on our response here.

Transport proposals for Bath City Centre:

The latest phase of the WECA corridor schemes concerns the City centre. Read mor

Air Quality