Purpose

The Somer Valley Links project includes 27
interventions along 23 miles of highway from Bath via Radstock and
Farrington Gurney into Whitchurch. The project will improving
walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure whilst improving
reliability of buses using the route. The interventions vary from
bus stop improvements, mobility hubs, pavement improvements and new
cycling routes. The build phase for these works are planned for the
2026/27 financial year to utilise the funding allocated by the
Mayoral Combined Authority. A number of the interventions will need
to be constructed outside of school term time due to the likely
disruption to traffic flows the works are likely to
cause.

Decision

To fully approve an uplift of £1.8m to
existing budget to complete an FBC (full business case) for
sustainable cycling and walking links, across the Somer Valley.
This will be fully funded by grant awarded by WECA, issued by the
Dept for Transport, as part of the regional CRSTS programme (city
regional sustainable transport scheme.) An FBC will be submitted to
WECA by October 2025.

Alternative options considered

To not proceed with the contract approval the
ongoing development of all of the schemes in the Somer Valley Links
route would result in the designs not be completed and therefore
not built in the current funding window.