SPC raises concerns and questions to B&NES Council following WECA’s A4 ‘Bristol to Bath’ consultation report

Saltford Parish Council (SPC) has met with Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) Council officers to discuss the West of England Combined Authority’s (WECA) proposals for the A4 corridor through Saltford and Keynsham.

The meeting was arranged and attended by Saltford Ward Councillor Chris Warren, as shared at SPC’s August meeting. SPC is grateful for the opportunity he provided for direct engagement with B&NES officers.

The meeting followed discussions between B&NES Council Saltford Ward Cllr Chris Warren, SPC and the Chief Executive of B&NES Council in May (also arranged by Cllr Warren) during which SPC raised concerns regarding emerging A4 proposals affecting Saltford and requested the opportunity to discuss these matters further with relevant B&NES officers.

SPC welcomes the constructive engagement that has followed. As the local Highway Authority, B&NES Council plays an important role in providing feedback to WECA on transport proposals, making this dialogue particularly valuable.

Saltford Parish Council also welcomes Cllr Warren’s broadly supportive views of SPC’s consultation response, which can be found in SPC’s article titled: Have Your Say on the WECA ‘A4 Bath to Bristol’ Consultation (21 October – 2 December 2025) and its concerns as supported by Cllr Warren at the meeting.

SPC notes that Cllr Chris Warren raised his own observations, concerns and questions regarding WECA’s proposals during discussions with officers. Similar to SPC, Cllr Warren has agreed to pursue a number of related matters, including plans to discuss his concerns with a B&NES Council Cabinet member regarding WECA’s proposals. SPC will leave it to Cllr Warren to provide any further updates on his engagement at the meeting and follow-up matters directly. SPC and Cllr Warren will continue to engage directly on this matter, and plan to meet again with B&NES Council officers in due course.

SPC seeks information on WECA proposals

The meeting with B&NES Council officers follows SPC’s formal response to WECA’s A4 Bath to Bristol consultation (as linked above) and previous representations made directly to WECA following the consultation in January 2026.

WECA’s consultation report following its Oct-Dec 2025 consultation was published on 16 July 2026, in which WECA confirmed proposals including a new bus lane between Broadmead Roundabout (Waitrose Roundabout) and Copse Road in Saltford. Plans were also confirmed for several light-controlled crossings on the A4 to accommodate the bus lane. Changes for Saltford’s old village area were also included. For information from WECA visit their page titled: Work on the A4 Bath to Bristol progresses as investment to start this autumn.

While SPC supports improvements that genuinely enhance public transport, walking and cycling, the Parish Council has consistently highlighted the need for greater clarity regarding some of WECA’s proposals. This was clearly stated in SPC’s consultation response to WECA, which included SPC’s statement:

“Saltford Parish Council (SPC) considers that the consultation lacks sufficient detail for a fully informed response. Despite WECA’s statement that this is “the last full public consultation on these sections,” many key aspects remain unclear as reflected in SPC’s responses. This prevents both residents and the Parish Council from commenting comprehensively on WECA proposals and raises concerns about the validity of the consultation process.”

Due to the lack of clarity, during the discussions with B&NES officers, SPC raised a number of questions about the proposed A4 bus lane, the rationale behind its specific location, the modelling evidence supporting the scheme, WECA’s aims in terms of benefits, which filter lanes would be retained, concerns about journey times (including for buses) and the practical implications for residents and road users. B&NES officers have agreed to put a range of questions and requests for clarification to WECA on SPC’s behalf.

Saltford Parish Council also sought further information about proposed bus stop improvements, including how locations have been prioritised by WECA and how the proposed improvements will benefit passengers in Saltford. SPC has, for example, highlighted that some clear opportunities to make substantial improvements to bus stops in Saltford by WECA. In particular, SPC has questioned the rationale for prioritising relatively minor improvements at a number of bus stops, when there are locations in Saltford where more significant improvements could be made – an example being installation of a bus shelter at a stop that currently has none (WECA did not include such improvements at the location in its consultation). SPC considers that such improvements could provide a more meaningful benefit to passengers and has therefore sought clarification on how the priorities for investment have been determined. B&NES Council is responsible for bus stops in Saltford.

Concerns raised about future WECA roadworks

A key issue raised by Cllr Chris Warren and SPC relates to the impact of future roadworks on the A4 and local bus services.

Residents will be aware of the significant disruption experienced during recent roadworks associated with the Curo development, when lengthy delays led to bus diversions and reduced access to services within the village. For more detail, please view our article titled: CURO Works on A4 Bath Road (Keynsham) – Starts 8 Sept 2025 for 35 weeks (dated August 2025 to August 2026).

The article includes the extensive correspondence and actions taken by SPC with Curo, B&NES Council and First Bus to achieve the reestablishment as soon as possible of daytime X39 services through the village, which had been temporarily postponed by First Bus due to the extensive delays caused by the CURO works (which included WECA Cycling and Walking improvement works to the shared path adjacent to the A4 between Saltford and Keynsham).

Cllr Warren and SPC raised the impact of delays on businesses and residents, and asked B&NES Council what measures WECA intends to put in place to minimise disruption during any future construction works and to help ensure bus services continue to serve Saltford throughout the project. The point was pressed that it is important that lessons are learned from recent experiences and that residents, businesses and public transport users are not subjected to avoidable disruption during future WECA works.

SPC also asked for information about the nature of the roadworks including when they will begin, how long they will take, if works will take place in separate phases (e.g. for the bus lane and pedestrian crossings etc), what level of road-widening and kerbing works will be included to accommodate a bus lane, if any roadworks at night have been considered etc. Any information received will be shared with residents.

War Memorial area, High St and ‘Greenway’ proposals

SPC also asked for clarification on the need for WECA’s proposals affecting the area by the War Memorial (raised surfaces), the village’s historic High Street (proposals for 20+ signs/road markings), the ‘Greenway’ path behind the Bird in Hand pub, and potential links to the Bristol & Bath Railway Path.

As in its consultation response to WECA, Saltford Parish Council raised concerns about the potential impact of some proposals on safety, the historic character of the area and the village environment.

Alternative options were suggested for consideration by WECA, including improvements to the Avon Lane lane junction on the Bristol to Bath Path for the benefit of cyclists looking to leave / join the highway in Saltford.

Specifically, Saltford Parish Council flagged safety concerns and environmental concerns about the Greenway being widened and used as a key entry point to the highway (currently a narrow section of highway on a bend with limited visibility). More about SPC’s actions to request that B&NES Council adds the Greenway to the Public Rights of Way network can be found in SPC’s article: Help SPC secure Public Right of Way status for Saltford’s historic ‘greenway’.

SPC detailed information about the historic high street and ‘Greenway’ during the meeting, and concerns that WECA’s proposals would urbanise Saltford’s rural, historic character – and requested clarity on the reasons for such proposals and the intended outcomes.

SPC has asked B&NES Council officers to approach WECA for more detail on the above, and to reiterate SPC’s concerns (supported by information sent by SPC to B&NES Council officers – see images below).

What’s next

SPC recognises that strategic transport decisions and actions, and those relating to Highways, are the responsibility of WECA and B&NES Council respectively. As such, SPC will continue to aim to engage with both B&NES Council and WECA as further information becomes available. Ultimately, decisions on actions rest with other authorities, and not SPC.

Saltford Parish Council’s would welcome information about WECA decisions affecting Saltford being based on clear evidence and modelling, and also views that it is important that local concerns with regards to WECA roadworks are fully understood before any proposals progress.

Saltford Parish Council is grateful to B&NES Ward Cllr Chris Warren, B&NES officers and the Chief Executive of B&NES Council for their willingness to engage with SPC and to discuss concerns raised – and to the B&NES Council officers who will follow-up with WECA the questions raised by SPC.

SPC will provide further updates as responses are received from B&NES Council officers or B&NES Councillors, and as the WECA project develops.

Should SPC receive any direct communications from WECA regarding the outcomes of their A4 Bath to Bristol Consultation – further to the report published on their website – SPC will look to share.

SPC will look to respond to the WECA consultation on the Keynsham Section of the A4 Bath to Bristol project at its September meeting (8 September 2026). Information about the current open consultation can be viewed in SPC’s article titled: Have your say: WECA launches public consultation on updated A4 Bath to Bristol – Keynsham section proposals.

Supporting images sent to B&NES Council by SPC

The following images were created and sent to B&NES Council officer by SPC following the meeting, prior to B&NES Officers approaching WECA with SPC’s questions.

The image above shows a bus stop in Saltford that does not have a bus shelter, alongside location information. SPC has noted that bus stops on the A4 like these expose users to road spray and offer no protection from the elements, which does not support encouragement of bus use which SPC understands is a WECA aim. SPC has requested information about why WECA chose not to ‘upgrade’ this bus stop in Saltford in favour of more minor improvements to other well-equipped bus stops on the A4.

Image above shows a bus stop installed the wrong way around in Saltford, again exposing those waiting to use the bus to the elements and road spray. This was another example sent to B&NES Council as part of SPC’s questions to WECA.

Image shows narrow highway near the Bird in Hand pub, where the exit/entry point to the Greenway is located (on the right behind the bridge, in front of the white van). SPC has in the past requested clearance of vegetation from the road sign and the repainting of ‘SLOW’ markings, due to the narrow highway and poor visibility on the bend. SPC has suggested that a safety assessment on the proposed improvements to the Greenway would be beneficial.

Junction of Bristol to Bath Path with Avon Lane, taken from the path looking towards the highway. SPC has requested that B&NES Council and the Walk Wheel Trust improve this junction on the shared path for the use of cyclists, so they can more easily enter / exit the B2B Path via Avon Lane. SPC views this as a safer option for cyclists compared to the historic Greenway route suggested by WECA.

Map showing greenway in relation to Avon Lane junction from the B2B Path. Further to SPC’s consultation response to WECA which included a diagram showing the proximity of the Avon Lane route compared to the Greenway (only 0.2 miles apart), SPC annotated this map for B&NES Council officers to aid their engagement with WECA on SPC’s request. SPC welcomed showing a WECA officer the location of the Greenway in January 2026 – as arranged and attended by Cllr Chris Warren – and has offered B&NES Council officers a similar visit to this location.