Visitor information - Saltford Parish Council

Visitor information

Aerial view of Saltford

Many people visit Saltford for its historic conservation area and scenic riverside walks. Others come to participate in its many active societies, leisure and sports facilities. Often people are drawn to Saltford due to its varied range of places to eat and drink. Whatever your reason for coming to Saltford, we hope you enjoy your time in the village and we warmly welcome considerate visitors.

River & Saltford Weir

If visiting Saltford for its river side areas or for recreational purposes, please see the ‘River Avon in Saltford‘ page and information the links below. Please be careful if ingesting water from the river, concerns about illness and information about raw sewage entering the river (there are four storm drains in Saltford) can be found in our 2024 article ‘River at Saltford results show High Nutrient Pollution‘ and also on our ‘River Water Quality at Saltford‘ page.

Saltford’s river side is in a residential area with narrow roads. If visiting by vehicle please park lawfully and considerately. Available parking is available in a short stay car park (pay and display, 3hrs maximum stay) and a small section of highway (3hrs maximum stay). B&NES Council parking enforcement visit regularly throughout the year as do the police to ensure good access for large emergency vehicles. There are parking restrictions on the the majority of the highway near the river, including double yellow lines (see the parking section below). Visitors to the area are strongly encouraged to use public transport accessed from the A4 Bath Road, or to walk or cycle to Saltford’s river side areas. More information can be found below.

Map of the river in Saltford above taken from Bristol Avon Rivers Trust’s interactive map 2025. According to the 2025 RiverBlitz survey by Bristol Avon Rivers Trust, the river at Saltford continues to record high levels of nitrate and phosphate – a sign of nutrient pollution.

💧 Why it matters: Excess nutrients can fuel algae growth and reduce oxygen in the water, harming wildlife. There’s also a risk of illness to people and pets, especially if river water is swallowed.

⚠️ Please be cautious when using the river – particularly with young people, children and dogs. If you feel unwell after contact with river water, seek medical advice.

You can learn more about RiverBlitz and local water quality at: 👉 https://bristolavonriverstrust.org/riverblitz

Also view SPC’s ‘River Water Quality at Saltford’ page for more information.

Public toilets

Public toilets in the B&NES Council area are the responsibility of B&NES Council and managed by Healthmatic. For up-to-date information about B&NES Council’s toilets please see B&NES Council’s ‘Find a public toilet‘ webpage.

Signs on the door will state whether the toilets are out of order or not functioning correctly in any way.

If visitors encounter issues with public toilets anywhere the B&NES area please report directly to B&NES Council. 

Getting to Saltford by bus, bike or on foot

Saltford is a popular destination for cyclists and walkers. The Bristol to Bath Railway Path runs through Saltford connecting the two cities. Please find more information, including a map, on the Bristol and Bath Railway Path website. To find out more about public rights of way and permissive paths in Saltford, please visit our maps page.

Many bus routes provide a regular service though Saltford, via the A4 Bath Road.

Parking

If visiting Saltford by car to use the shops and businesses on the A4 Bath Road, please note the small car park in front of one of the parades of shops, and marked bays on residential roads nearby, have time-limited parking restrictions. Please check signage before leaving your vehicle.

There is a public car park on Wedmore Road by Saltford Hall and Saltford Sports Club, which is popular with users of both community facilities. The car park has 28 spaces and 2 disabled parking spaces. SPC is aware and supportive of B&NES Council’s plans to potentially install public Electric Vehicle Charging points at this location. 

There is a small (12 spaces + 2 disabled spaces) pay-and-display public car park near the river where a maximum parking period of three hours is permitted. If using the car park between 1 October to 31 March inclusive, a stay must be booked via MiPermit or by using the ‘Pay & Display’ machine, even though it is free to park for a maximum three hour period. Between 1 April and 30 September, visitors can use MiPermit or the cash-only ‘Pay and Display’ machine to park for one, two or three hour period including on Bank Holidays. Disabled ‘Blue Badge’ holders with badges clearly displayed do not need to pay to park. Parking is not permitted outside marked bays at the car park, and vehicles parked outside bays are subject to Penalty Charge Notices – please view the B&NES Council tariff board before leaving your vehicle. The green space surrounding the car park is now protected from vehicles parking on it by wooden bollards.

If visiting Saltford’s river side areas by car, please be aware that parking restrictions (double yellow lines) are in place along many sections of the highway. Available parking can be in high demand. B&NES Council enforcement teams visit the area as a priority. B&NES Parking Enforcement officers monitor also monitor the Resident Parking Zones in this area regularly as a priority, especially during peak periods. In July 2024 B&NES Council’s Parking Enforcement teams visited Saltford 108 times, and in September 2024 they made 114 visits to Saltford. A number of Penalty Charge Notices were also issued in 2024. Please view the B&NES Council signage available before parking to avoid fines.

Please note that vehicles using car park by the river for any business purpose are subject to penalty charge notices by B&NES Parking Enforcement. Any businesses or their clients using a vehicle to operate a business parked in the car park may be in contravention of the off street parking order and their vehicle may be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN). This is because the operation of a business from this car park reduces the availability of spaces for visitors to park to enjoy the local amenity. 

Information about cashless payment via MiPermit can be found on the B&NES Council website here. MiPermit can be used by app, just download MiPermit for Android  or download MiPermit for iOS to your phone. To find out how to use the MiPermit App please see this short ‘Using the MiPermit App in car parks’ YouTube video by North Essex Council for a step-step-guide. MiPermit tickets can also be accessed via the B&NES Council MiPermit website and also by phone (Text message / SMS – see ‘By Phone’ instructions here).

It is advisable to consider walking, cycling and/or using public transport if planning to visit this area of the village. To plan a visit by public transport visit https://journeyplanner.travelwest.info/directions  Those parking in breach of the T&Cs on the tariff board at any B&NES Council car park, on double yellow lines, or exceeding the time limit permitted in marked bays, are subject to a £70 fine.

A number of businesses in Saltford operate their own private car parks, where restrictions apply and parking is available for patrons only. This includes all four pubs in Saltford, including those by the river. Visitors looking to use any private car parks are advised to check signage carefully before parking their vehicles. CCTV is in place at many of Saltford’s public and private car parks. Owners leave their vehicles at their own risk.

If parking elsewhere in the village , SPC requests that any visitors park with consideration to residents and with respect for the need for good emergency vehicle access. Many of Saltford’s ‘old village’ roads – especially the High Street – are narrow and have pinch points, and there are no pavements for pedestrians in some areas. Inconsiderate parking can be dangerous for both access and visibility, and residents are encouraged to contact the police directly on 101 if they see dangerously parked vehicles or if inconsiderate parking has resulted in gridlock.

Saltford Parish Council is not the responsible authority for parking matters. B&NES Council’s Parking Enforcement Officers are responsible for enforcing restrictions in public car parks and on the highway where restrictions apply. B&NES Council’s parking team can be contacted at parking@bathnes.gov.uk 

The police can deal with vehicles causing an obstruction or hazard. Residents are encouraged to report dangerous parking to the police (the ‘local council’ referred to on the police website is B&NES Council).

Environment and nature

SPC welcomes people to enjoy its beautiful river side setting, however requests that users of the river treat this area with consideration to nature and the environment.

Please only consider accessing the river at appropriate and safe locations without damage to the river bank or its vegetation. If considering accessing the river, for information please see the following pages:

The river is a habitat for otters, kingfishers and other wildlife that SPC is keen to see protected. Saltford Parish Council, working in partnership with B&NES Council, has recently taken action to protect an area of the riverbank on The Shallows that was being eroded due to unauthorised access.

Visitors are also requested to take their litter home, or else use one of the many bins or ‘gold’ litter bags available.

Mooring

B&NES Council is riparian owner for the riverbank in Saltford. Any enquiries about mooring on the riverbank in Saltford need to be directed by members of the public directly to the Canal River Trust or to B&NES Council

B&NES Cabinet has agreed to relocate moorings from Mead Lane, and B&NES Council continues this work as part of its ‘Better Moorings Project’. For up-to-date information from B&NES Council, please see the B&NES Council Mead Lane Moorings webpage. The B&NES Council Mead Lane mooring webpage includes  contact details for B&NES Council for matters relating to moorings at this location (see right-hand side of linked page).

History and heritage

For information about the history and heritage of Saltford, including links to information about Saltford Brass Mill and Saltford Online Museum (hosted by Saltford Environment Group), please visit SPC’s History of Saltford page.

More information about the history of Saltford can be found in the many printed resources available from Saltford Community Library (as part of the Libraries West network). The local studies library and archive for the Saltford area is located at the Bath Record Office (located at the Guildhall, Bath).

 

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