Update from WECA on ‘A4 Bath to Bristol’ corridor transport proposals – July 2026
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UPDATE: 20 July 2026
Further to our original article, SPC was sent a WECA Communications email on the evening of 16 July 2026, as follows:
Work on the A4 Bath to Bristol progresses as investment to start this autumn
Plans to improve sustainable transport links along the A4 between Bath and Bristol are continuing to move forward as construction is set to begin later this year.
Changes have been made to the original scheme, following feedback from residents in a consultation started late last year. You can read the consultation report here.
The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (WECA), in partnership with Bath and North East Somerset Council (B&NES), will invest in shared use paths, bus stop upgrades, improved pedestrian crossings, and more bus lanes along the A4 between Saltford and Bath.
Once complete, the improvements will help to cut congestion and pollution and create safer crossings for schools including Saltford CofE Primary School and IKB Academy. This will mean better sustainable travel options in the area,: empowering people to be able to choose to leave the car at home.
The work is set to begin in Autumn 2026 and be completed by the end of 2028.
Residents and businesses will be contacted directly with details of all works and any temporary diversions necessary.
The plans, which have been designed in collaboration with Bath and North East Somerset Council (B&NES), will improve sustainable and active travel routes across the Central Bath and Central Bristol growth zones linking Bristol Temple Quarter and Bath’s Riverside Innovation District.
A separate consultation process to seek people’s views on revised plans for the A4 in and near the Keynsham area is due to commence in late July.
An update on the public consultation already undertaken relating to Bristol stretches of the A4 will be shared this summer.
There has been extensive consultation with the public on the plans for this section of the A4. Based on the feedback from residents, the plans for improvements to the A4 are:
- New 1.2km eastbound bus lane from Broadmead Roundabout to Copse Road
- Upgrade of a shared path between Broadmead Roundabout and Ellsbridge Close to a two-way cycle lane running alongside pavement.
- Five new signalised crossings, for pedestrians and cyclists, along the route and at Norman Road, with three more at Broadmead roundabout
- Widened and newly lit shared‑use path to the Bristol and Bath Railway Path at Twerton Fork
- New signalised crossings, for pedestrians and cyclists, at the Globe
- Speed limit reduction to 40mph between the Globe Roundabout to Twerton Fork
- Raised crossings over the side roads along Newbridge Road
- Upgraded traffic lights at Newbridge Hill and Windsor Bridge Road to prioritise buses
- 31 bus stop upgrades including Norman Road, Lansdown Road and Twyning Road
Further information:
Following planning approval for a Curo homes development, which required improved walking and cycling access to 208 new homes, approximately 1km of active travel path on the A4 between Pixash Lane and Grange Rd in Saltford will no longer form part of our scheme. This section is currently under construction by Curo.
A separate consultation on the area of the scheme around Keynsham town centre will be released this summer.
Other sections of the corridor are still under review, and consultations on these plans will be issued when ready.
[Excluding quotes from WECA Mayor and B&NES Council’s Deputy Leader]
Original article:
Saltford Parish Council has received an update from WECA on its ‘A4 Bath to Bristol’ corridor transport plans. A consultation on the ‘Keynsham’ section will open on 28 July 2026. A summary of the autumn 2025 consultation – which included Saltford (inc. A4, Norman Rd, High Street, the ‘Greenway’ and the B2B Path) – will be published this week.
The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) held public consultations on proposals for sections of the A4 Bath to Bristol project both in autumn 2023 and in late 2025. SPC provided comprehensive responses to both consultations, which raised a number of concerns to WECA with regards to proposals.#
Report on WECA’s autumn 2025 A4 consultation due this week
On 15 July WECA advised that a summary of the 2025 consultation, including feedback received and the design changes made in response, will be published on their project website shortly. To view this update once available, please visit the ‘Have your say west A4 Bath to Bristol‘ WECA page.
This will include information on WECA’s proposals for the sections of the A4 consulted on in 2025. The 2025 consultation did not include the Keynsham section (e.g. Keynsham Bypass) but did include WECA proposals for a bus lane from the Broadmead (Waitrose) roundabout to Saltford, traffic-light controlled crossings on junctions adjacent to the Broadmead roundabout, light-controlled crossings on the A4 between Saltford and Keynsham to accommodate a bus lane, and proposals for Norman Road and High Street. The latter for Norman Road and High Street include WECA proposals for raised areas near the Saltford War Memorial, and up to 40 signs or road markings on Saltford’s historic High Street (part of the Saltford Conservation Area). WECA proposals from 2025 also indicated potentially widening and tarmacking the steep ‘Greenway’, a much loved nature route which SPC subsequently requested to B&NES Council becomes part of the Public Rights of Way network in January 2026 (outcome awaited).
The WECA image below shows which sections were included in the 2025 consultation, as marked in green as ‘current consultation’:
New consultation on Keynsham section due to open 28 July
For reference, WECA’s autumn 2025 consultation did not include the Keynsham bypass (as in purple on the map above, labelled ‘future consultation’). The Keynsham Bypass was included in WECA’s previous ‘A4 Bath to Bristol’ consultation, as in the map below showing the entire area of consultation. (To view the Engagement Report from WECA’s autumn 2023 consultation, please view the link from SPC’s article titled ‘WECA A4 Bath to Bristol Consultation: Engagement Report published July 2024‘.) The WECA image below shows the section of A4 included in WECA’s 2023 consultation, which included the Keynsham Bypass and Saltford:
(Further comment on both maps can be found at the end of the article).
WECA has shared that the next stage of the project will focus on the Keynsham section of the route. Following feedback from previous engagement, WECA has shared that it has updated its proposals and will be launching a public consultation on these plans on 28 July 2026. The consultation is expected to run for eight weeks, closing on 22 September 2026.
According to WECA, the proposals aim to improve connections between Keynsham, Bath and Bristol, supporting access to employment, education and local services, while making it easier for people to choose public transport, walking and cycling where these are practical alternatives to travelling by car.
The consultation is expected to include public engagement events, an online consultation platform and information available at deposit points in Keynsham, Bath and Bristol. WECA has offered Councillors briefing sessions prior to the consultation opening.
Saltford Parish Council understands that many residents will be interested in how any new WECA proposals for the Keynsham section may affect journeys, including potentially through the village, as well as around the local area. SPC will share further details about the Keynsham section of the consultation, including how residents can view the proposals and submit feedback, once this information becomes available from WECA.
When will SPC response to the next consultation?
The Parish Council is also expected to consider the proposals and agree its own response to the consultation at a future council meeting. Information will be made available on its ‘Meetings – Agendas and Minutes’ page. Please check agendas for items, and members of the public are welcome to attend and speak at SPC’s meetings (please view SPC’s ‘Public Engagement Guidelines’ on the page linked).
SPC has previously responded to WECA’s two consultations on the A4, the first was in early autumn 2023 and second took place between October and December 2025. Following the most recent consultation, SPC attended an onsite meeting with a WECA representative – as arranged by B&NES Council Ward Cllr Chris Warren – to raise its concerns regarding proposals and to provide constructive feedback. Further information, including SPC’s consultation responses to WECA, can be found on our website by entering ‘WECA A4’ into the search function in the top right hand corner.
Image above taken from WECA’s first ‘A4 Bath to Bristol consultation’ (autumn 2023), which included proposals for the A4 Keynsham Bypass
WECA’s ‘A4 Bath to Bristol consultation map’ from autumn 2023, showing the areas consulted on. This included Saltford as well as the A4 Keynsham Bypass. An ‘Engagement Report’ was subsequently published by WECA in 2024.
WECA’s ‘A4 Bath to Bristol consultation map’ late autumn 2025 – the green sections show locations consulted on (including Saltford). The A4 Keynsham Bypass was not consulted on – as shown in purple as ‘future consultation’. This consultation is now expected to open on 28 July 2026.