Update: March 2025
At SPC’s March 2025 meeting (under Item 6 ‘Clerk’s Announcements’) the response received to SPC from Cllr Kevin Guy to SPC’s open letter ‘BathNES Liberal Democrat letter and petition to Saltford residents (A4 Bus lanes)’ was summarised.
Cllr Kevin Guy had stated in his email to SPC that WECA was the transport authority responsible for decision-making in relation to the A4 Bath to Bristol corridor project, and had also stated that ‘we in B&NES, like you, have been seeking a more consultative approach from WECA for some years, and we are also keen to understand whether your concerns in relation to impacts on air pollution, and to traffic and bus flow, are well-founded.’
Cllr Guy had added that B&NES Council Cllr Sarah Warren, Deputy Leader, had recently written to WECA Mayor Dan Norris to request a more consultative approach in relation to the project, as well as modelling of traffic flow and air pollution of the proposed changes which had yet to be received from WECA.
With reference to his letter and petition as sent to Saltford residents in November 2024, and the concerns raised by SPC, Cllr Guy had responded to say that the ‘part-time bus lanes’ were one example of an alternative solution that WECA might like to model. He also clarified that B&NES Council had not formally put forward any proposal for an alternative scheme to WECA.
Cllr Guy stated that B&NES Council hoped that the incoming Mayor* would work with Councils, residents and stakeholders ‘in a more collaborative way to develop shared plans to improve public transport along the corridor going forward’.
Prior to receiving Cllr Guy’s letter, SPC had also contacted Deputy Leader B&NES Councillor Sarah Warren, to share SPC’s open letter to Cllr Guy and to request that should she receive any response from WECA to her recent enquiries SPC would be appreciative if this could be shared with the Parish Council.
This request for information sharing should B&NES Council receive any information from WECA – especially with regards to bus lanes on the Keynsham Bypass – was reiterated in SPC’s answer to Cllr Kevin Guy’s email, along with SPC’s thanks for his consideration of its open with regards to this matter and SPC’s concerns.
To date, Saltford Parish Council last heard from WECA with regards to future engagement on their 2023 consultation proposals (which included bus lanes on the A4 in Saltford and Keynsham) in July 2024, when WECA’s ‘A4 Bath to Bristol Corridor’ consultation engagement report was published (see SPC’s article ‘WECA A4 Bath to Bristol Consultation: Engagement Report published July 2024‘). SPC had been continually pushing for the publication of the Engagement Report following the consultation. WECA had shared at the time of the 2023 consultation that the report would be made available in January 2024 (see SPC’s article ‘UPDATE: Now due mid-July 2024 – WECA A4 Bath to Bristol Consultation: ‘Key findings’ published but Public Engagement Report delayed‘).
In July 2024 following the report’s publication, SPC had been informed by WECA that they were looking to proactively engage with interested stakeholders in September 2024. Following this information, Saltford Parish Council formally contacted WECA to state its keenness to be invited to engage with WECA on this matter. Confirmation was received to SPC from WECA that SPC would be invited to attend any meetings or forums. No further correspondence has been received to SPC since from WECA with regards to engagement with key stakeholders. In addition, despite signing up for updates at the time of the 2023 WECA consultation – as was an option open to everyone – no email updates have been received to date.
At SPC’s October 2024 meeting, Saltford B&NES Ward Cllr Duncan Hounsell had shared in his Ward Councillors report that the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) had stated in a press release that the proposed cycle lane adjacent to the Keynsham bypass was being removed from the scheme. A continuous cycle lane from Bath to Bristol was part of the original WECA vision statement for the project.
Following receipt of this information, at SPC’s next meeting (November 2024, Item 14), the Parish Council discussed and resolved to contact WECA to request that it re-instate the proposal for a cycle path along the bypass as part its Bath to Bristol Strategic Corridor proposals. SPC also resolved to reiterate in its request (as taken from its September 2023 response to WECA’s ‘Bath to Bristol’ consultation) that ‘a key objective for any section of bus lane and cycle/pedestrian path along the bypass should be to retain the dual carriageways in both directions for all vehicles to provide sufficient road space’.
Following an acknowledgement email as noted at SPC’s December meeting (Clerk’s Announcements, Item 7), WECA’s Head of Infrastructure Directorate Planning response to SPC’s request was shared at its January 2025 meeting (Clerk’s Announcements, item 8). In his response to SPC’s request for WECA to re-introduce proposals for a cycle path adjacent to the A4 Keynsham Bypass as part of future consultation(s) for the ‘Bath to Bristol A4 Strategic Corridor’, SPC had been informed that ‘following a further design and optioneering exercise’, the design team had ‘identified an option which enables the cycle route connection between Broadmead Roundabout and Hicks Gate to run along the bypass. As such, design work continues on this basis’. Again, no indication of when further engagement with SPC with regards to proposals for the ‘A4 Bath to Bristol Corridor’ was received however WECA stated that it would engage with SPC in due course. (To view SPC’s minutes, please visit our ‘Meetings – Agendas and Minutes‘ page).
*WECA Mayor elections will take place on 1 May 2025.
To view SPC’s full response to WECA’s ‘A4 Bath to Bristol Consultation’ please see our September 2023 article: SPC strongly objects to A4 Bath to Bristol consultation proposals
Original article:
At its February 2025 meeting, Saltford Parish Council resolved to respond to the letter and petition to Saltford residents addressed from the Leader of B&NES Council as sent by the BathNES Liberal Democrats titled in November 2024 ‘Say ‘NO’ to 24/7 bus lanes in Saltford’.
The letter signed by the Leader of B&NES Council stated: ‘Our proposal is to allow local residents to use the bus lanes during non-peak hours, a practical solution that’s already working well in other areas. This would mean that, for much of the day, you could use the bus lane to keep traffic flowing more smoothly through our village. // On the back of this letter, I’ve included a petition slip and instructions on how to return it for free.’
Due to the pre-election period for the Saltford B&NES Ward Councillor by-election (formally referred to as ‘purdah’) that had started in December, there had been a delay in SPC being able to respond to the letter until after the January by-election.
The letter sent to residents in November 2024 sought Saltford resident support for the BathNES Liberal Democrat’s proposal for peak-time only bus lanes on the A4 Keynsham Bypass, which included that ‘local traffic’ (e.g. all traffic) would be permitted to use the proposed bus lanes during off-peak periods. The proposal for peak time bus lanes was stated on the letter followed by reference to the petition, with the petition on the reverse of the letter giving the proposal as the (only) example of ‘a more common sense approach’.
Copy of the letter as sent to Saltford residents in November 2024
Copy of the petition (on reverse of letter) as sent to Saltford residents in November 2024
Residents raised concerns to the attention of Saltford Parish Council following receipt of the BathNES Liberal Democrats letter and petition by post in November 2024 (copy above). A resident also sought assurances with regards to Saltford Parish Council’s stance following receipt of the letter and petition.
At its February 2025 meeting Saltford PC resolved to contact the Leader of B&NES Council to highlight its concerns to the stated proposal, and to reaffirm the position of the Parish Council with regards to WECA’s ‘A4 Bath to Bristol’ proposals.
Following the February meeting, Saltford Parish Council had been made aware that WECA’s proposals for A4 Keynsham Bypass bus lanes may have been suspended. However as no formal comment or communication – including the exact nature of such a ‘suspension’ – had yet to be made by WECA, SPC viewed its response letter to the Leader of B&NES Council as current and topical, especially its request that B&NES Council engage with Saltford Parish Council prior to any further proposals to WECA.
Summary of SPC’s response letter to the Leader of B&NES Council
In summary, the letter states the Council’s resolution to respond in line with its response to the WECA ‘A4 Bath to Bristol’ consultation at its September 2023 meeting (Item 9). Please see SPC’s article ‘SPC strongly objects to A4 Bath to Bristol consultation proposals‘ (September 2023).
It was agreed that SPC’s letter would include mention of multiple issues associated with the proposed peak-time bus lanes should they replace existing all-traffic carriageway, and that SPC would provide detailed information on key points including: The reasons for SPC’s strong opposition to full-length bus lanes; concerns about BathNES Liberal Democrats’ proposal for peak-time only bus lanes which SPC viewed as deeply flawed; the negative impact of the given proposal (as stated on the letter and given as an example on the petition itself) on Saltford residents; the lack of clarity in the letter and petition leading to confusion as to intent; and the request for B&NES Council to engage with SPC prior to putting further proposals to WECA with regards to the ‘A4 Bath to Bristol Corridor’.
Copy of open letter to Cllr Kevin Guy
A copy of SPC’s open letter has been sent to the Leader of B&NES Council who had signed the letter to residents on behalf of the BathNES Liberal Democrats, and also to Saltford’s B&NES Council Ward Councillors. A copy of the letter is as follows:
Dear Cllr Kevin Guy,
At its February meeting Saltford Parish Council (SPC) reviewed your letter and petition as sent to Saltford residents in November 2024, as circulated on behalf of BathNES Liberal Democrats including local Liberal Democrat Councillors. It resolved to contact you with its view and to request your engagement with Saltford Parish Council with regards to B&NES Council’s proposals to WECA.
Prior to Saltford Parish Council’s response to your letter and petition, for clarification:
• Although the petition was titled ‘Say NO to 24/7 Bus Lanes in Saltford,’ Saltford PC’s response specifically addresses the proposed bus lanes on the A4 Keynsham Bypass, as referenced in your letter, rather than those proposed within the village of Saltford.
• Although the petition states ‘we urge WECA to consider more common sense approach, such as peak-only bus lanes which can be used by the public in non-peak times’, the letter states: ‘Our proposal is to allow local residents to use the bus lanes during non-peak hours, a practical solution that’s already working well in other areas. This would mean that, for much of the day, you could use the bus lane to keep traffic flowing more smoothly through our village. // On the back of this letter, I’ve included a petition slip and instructions on how to return it for free.’ It has since been stated to SPC that the petition’s focus was to gain support for WECA to take ‘a more common sense approach’ of which the proposal given was an example. However SPC viewed that the letter wording irrefutably shows that BathNES Liberal Democrats sought support via their petition for their stated proposal. SPC also considered that the majority of residents who read the petition would have come to the same conclusion. SPC respects others are entitled to have a different interpretation, and due to the ambiguous wording in both the letter and petition is not surprised that different interpretations may have been taken resulting in confusion (which should, in turn, be considered by the BathNES Liberal Democrats in terms of the validity of any responses received to its petition).
• The letter states ‘‘Our proposal is to allow local residents to use the bus lanes during non-peak hours, a practical solution that’s already working well in other areas. This would mean that, for much of the day, you could use the bus lane to keep traffic flowing more smoothly through our village.’ The term ‘local residents’ had been interpreted by many that the BathNES Liberal Democrats proposal meant that only Saltford residents (and perhaps those in other villages) could use the bus lanes (on the A4 Keynsham bypass, not ‘through our village’) during non-peak hours. SPC later received clarification from a Saltford Liberal Democrat Ward Councillor that the letter intended to mean all traffic use and not just ‘local residents’, and as such SPC’s response as follows has taken this into account.
I am writing on behalf of Saltford PC to formally express its strong opposition to the BathNES Liberal Democrats acceptance of WECA’s proposed full-length bus lanes on the Keynsham Bypass as achieved by the removal of existing all-motor traffic vehicle lanes. Saltford Parish Council’s response specifically relates to the BathNES Liberal Democrats proposed compromise solution presented that, instead of 24/7 bus lanes, that peak time bus lanes are introduced on the A4 Keynsham Bypass that allow ‘off peak use for local residents’.
Saltford PC regards the proposal in your letter as neither a sensible nor viable solution. While the Parish Council supports efforts to improve public transport and reduce congestion on the A4 corridor, it views that the BathNES Liberal Democrat’s proposal fails to understand the impact of bus lanes on the A4 Keynsham bypass – including at peak times – and views that the BathNES Liberal Democrat’s proposal is not in the best interests of Saltford residents.
The proposal in your letter to support full length bus lanes but – as a compromise with WECA’s proposals – restrict bus lanes to peak times use only is, in Saltford PC’s view, a misguided approach. Peak times are precisely when we need more road space, not less. Limiting road space in each direction on A4 Keynsham Bypass will result in even more congestion and slow down all traffic, including buses, particularly at critical bottlenecks where bus lanes end. The loss of a whole lane in each direction on the Keynsham Bypass will make it harder across the whole length of the A4 between Bristol and Bath to cope with the upward fluctuations in traffic volumes that naturally occur during peak periods. Saltford PC believes that the removal of existing all-motor vehicle lanes to create full-length bus lanes on the Keynsham Bypass – regardless of whether ‘off peak use for local residents’ is permitted – would cause significant congestion and disruption to traffic flow. It would also lead to higher pollution and increase safety concerns for Saltford residents.
Permitting residents to use bus lanes ‘off peak’ would not mitigate this impact on those living in Saltford, nor would the perceived benefits by the BathNES Liberal Democrats for its proposal outweigh the overall negative impact of bus lanes on Saltford’s residents. The intention to allow bus lane use outside of peak hours may be viewed by the BathNES Liberal Democrats as a ‘common sense’ compromise solution to present to WECA, but ultimately your and BathNES Liberal Democrats real concern should be the potential knock-on effect of such bus lanes during peak times on other sections of the A4. The proposal and petition by the BathNES Liberal Democrats to restrict bus lanes along the length of the A4 Keynsham bypass to peak time operation only (or to allow resident use during off peak times) would have little or no impact on the very problems Saltford PC seeks to avoid such as increased congestion, pollution, and safety concerns. Your support for full length peak-time bus lanes on the bypass by removing existing lanes for all-vehicle users offers minimal – if any – tangible benefits for residents, traffic flow or public transportation efficiency. Any benefits you perceive by your proposal would be more than offset by substantial delays on other sections of the A4, including for buses travelling through Saltford on the A4. This would increase pollution and decrease air quality through the village, as well as along the entire length of the A4 between The Globe Roundabout and Hicks Gate Roundabout.
It is also noted that your proposal as written, allowing ‘local residents’ to use bus lanes during off peak times is equivocal and there has been confusion as to whether that in fact indicates some specific privilege for local residents to utilise the bus lane during off peak times (as has been interpreted by some) or actually means simply limiting the time of bus lane operation. This lack of clarity impacts the legitimacy of any supportive responses received to date to your petition. However, the interpretation does not alter Saltford Parish Council’s view that your proposal fails to address the critical elements of WECA’s deeply flawed proposal.
We invite you to consider the summary below of Saltford PC’s comprehensive response to WECA’s A4 Bath to Bristol consultation (2023), which provides further detail on the Parish Council’s opposition to the proposed bus lanes on the Keynsham Bypass. We believe this additional context will help BathNES Liberal Democrats better understand the concerns raised by Saltford PC and why we believe the proposed solution presented in your letter and petition is not in the best interests of the local community.
By encouraging greater use of public transport, we can reduce congestion and improve journey times for all road users. Given the concerns raised, Saltford Parish Council advocates for policies that focus on making public transport more affordable, available, and attractive. The proposals made by WECA in its consultation of 2023 to introduce bus lanes on the A4 Keynsham Bypass, and as supported by BathNES Liberal Democrats at peak times as in your November 2024 letter and petition, will fail to achieve this.
Saltford Parish Council appreciates your interest in the A4 Corridor and urges BathNES Liberal Democrats to engage with Saltford’s B&NES Ward Councillors and with Saltford Parish Council for an informed local view. It would welcome further discussions with the local community, key stakeholders, and transportation authorities – to explore more effective solutions for improving transport options while minimising disruption to local life. Saltford PC would be pleased to engage with you and the BathNES Liberal Democrats further in discussions on how best to address transport issues on the A4 Corridor in a way that achieves benefits for local residents, improves public transport needs, and supports the environment.
The Parish Council would also welcome clarification on what the BathNES Liberal Democrats are proposing for the A4 in and near Saltford, having been made aware that B&NES Council has put forward other proposals directly to WECA since the letter and petition. Again, Saltford Parish Council’s members would have welcomed engagement with regards to such proposals by B&NES Council prior to this, for the purposes of sharing local knowledge and also to prevent the risk of further objectionable proposals – such as the one put forward on your letter and petition which would have such a negative impact on Saltford and its residents, and that were wholly unreflective of local feeling – being raised to WECA’s attention.
We hope you and the BathNES Liberal Democrats will reconsider your letter and proposal as sent to Saltford residents, and instead look to support Saltford PC’s response to WECA’s consultation on the A4 Bath to Bristol Corridor which strongly opposes removal of existing all-motor vehicle road space on the bypass for the creation of bus lanes.
The Parish Council also hopes that you will take Saltford PC’s views into account during any future engagement with WECA by the BathNES Liberal Democrats with regards to the ‘A4 Bath to Bristol Corridor’.
Thank you for your attention and consideration, and Saltford Parish Council looks forward to your response.
Yours Sincerely,
Lottie Smith-Collins
Parish Clerk & Responsible Financial Officer
Saltford Parish Council
Summary of concerns and opposition points from SPC’s response to WECA ‘A4 Bath to Bristol Corridor’ consultation re. A4 Keynsham Bypass proposals:
- Traffic Congestion and Flow:
SPC highlights the current sensitivity of traffic on the bypass, pointing out that even minor disruptions can lead to significant congestion. Replacing motor vehicle lanes with bus lanes will worsen this congestion, especially during incidents or roadworks, which would lead to gridlock on the A4 and spill over significant volumes of traffic onto nearby routes (including through residential areas). Saltford PC views that reducing lanes for all motor vehicle use would slow down all vehicle journeys, including buses, resulting in longer travel times for everyone. This applies to both peak time and non-peak time use, regardless of whether local residents are permitted to use bus lanes during non-peak hours. - Air and Noise Pollution:
A significant concern is the potential increase in air pollution and noise due to slower traffic, which would occur if (peak or non-peak) bus lanes are introduced on the Keynsham Bypass, regardless of whether local residents could use bus lanes during off-peak period. With reduced road space due to the bus lanes, all vehicles would experience more congestion and idling on the A4 through Saltford. This would increase emissions, particularly in Saltford’s residential areas. This would be especially harmful to vulnerable groups, such as children walking and cycling to local schools along the A4 Bath Road. It would discourage active travel on routes including the A4. - Impact on Local Communities:
Traffic congestion on the A4 either side of the A4 Keynsham Bypass would be generated by bus lanes, regardless of whether local residents could use bus lanes during off-peak periods. The backlog due to peak and non-peak bus lanes on the A4 Keynsham Bypass would impact the A4 through Saltford. This would impact the start/end of journeys of residents in Saltford and in turn create backlogs on local roads, such as Beech Road and Norman Road. It would increase journey times to reach the proposed ‘non peak local resident’ access to the bus lane on the A4 Keynsham Bypass. SPC also worries about safety hazards posed by increased “rat running” through narrow streets to avoid the congestion on the A4 to avoid congestion on the A4 in Saltford, both by motorists travelling through the village and by residents looking to reach the non-peak bus lanes by avoiding other congested parts of the A4. - Lack of Tangible Benefits for Buses:
SPC questions the benefit that the proposed bus lanes would bring to public transport. With the dual carriageway already allowing buses to travel at or near speed limits (including during off-peak periods), any time gains on the bypass by proposed bus lanes would likely be offset by delays further down the route. Saltford PC argues that improvements to bus services (such as more buses, competitive fares, and better reliability) would do more to encourage bus use than any advantages perceived by the proposed lanes. These improvements would be of overall increased benefit to all of Saltford’s residents. - Proposed Modifications:
SPC is not opposed to bus lanes entirely, but is opposed to removing any section of all-traffic lanes to achieve bus lanes. SPC may find acceptable any bus lanes achieved through road widening at the ends of the bypass, but not by removing space on existing all-motor vehicle lanes. Saltford PC may consider the possibility of shorter stretches of bus lanes for peak times only on newly created widened areas, which may address traffic flow concerns without the negative consequences of full-length bus lanes (either peak or off-peak) on existing road space.
A full copy of Saltford Parish Council’s response to WECA’s ‘A4 Bath to Bristol Consultation’ is available on SPC’s news article ‘SPC strongly objects to A4 Bath to Bristol consultation proposals‘ and directly at https://www.saltfordparishcouncil.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Saltford-Parish-Council-response-A4-BATH-TO-BRISTOL-CONSULTATION-Sept-2023-FINAL.pdf