Purpose

Scholars Way is an Active Travel route
comprising an eastern and western section, proposing to link the
University of Bath, Combe Down & St Martins School, via
Mulberry Park and a potential extension to Odd Down. Following
approval of the Budget and Council Tax 2024/25 report, this will
fully approve £2m, funded by revenue held in the Clean Air
Zone (CAZ) reinvestment reserve, focussed on delivery of the
western section. This includes road links with pedestrian and cycle
crossings, new parallel crossings, new toucan crossings for
pedestrian and cycles and new cycleways and shared footpaths.

Decision

(1) 
To approve capital
budget of £2m, fully funded by the Clean Air Zone (CAZ)
reinvestment reserve, for the Western section of Scholars Way
(Combe Down village to Frome Road).
 
(2) 
To note that the
remaining interventions in the Eastern section are proposed to
progress through Final Business Case (FBC) stage to be submitted to
WECA, in order to establish the evidence base for securing funding
for delivery and construction. Should a decision be taken for the
City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) to fund
construction of the Eastern section, agreement has been reached
with the West of England Combined Authority that the £2m
investment in the Western Section will be counted as BANES local
match to that investment.
 
(3) 
To delegate authority
to the Executive Director of Sustainable Communities, in
consultation with the s151 Officer, to formally accept any future
grants from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority or other
funding body, relating to this scheme.
 
(4) 
To note the delivery of one crossing (Bathwick Hill, at Oakley/Copseland) and the progression of necessary
approvals and final design for another (at Ralph Allen School) in
the Eastern Section through the Highways programme for 2024/25.

Reasons for the decision

The Western section being brought forward with this
funding, comprises a new walking, wheeling and cycling route from
Combe Road to St Martins Garden Primary School, via Mulberry Park,
Foxhill and Entry Hill, including
off-road sections and improved pedestrian and cycle
crossings.
 
It is a significant section to be delivered from the
Council’s emerging Active Travel Masterplan.
 
The Western section with the interventions detailed in the
full report will deliver benefits to the communities and
residential areas through which it passes. This will be further
enhanced as and when the Eastern section is delivered in
future.
 
The outcomes that the scheme is expected to deliver
are:
 
o 
Increased walking and
cycling
o 
Increased provision of
active travel routes to key locations and services
o 
Improved access to
employment, training and education
o 
Improved journey
quality for active travel trips
o 
Improved ease of
crossing the road
o 
Reduced car
use
o 
Connection towards
Somer Valley Links, the strategic City
Region Sustainable Transport Settlement corridor project through
Odd Down
o 
Future connections to
housing developments in the area
o 
Facilitating access to
the Entry Hill Green Space project (former golf course)
o 
Interfaces with the
Entry Hill Liveable Neighbourhoods proposals

Alternative options considered

The option to keep seeking a source of funding for the
whole proposed route was considered high risk to deliver within the
CRSTS grant timescale of March 2027.
 
The option to delay until full funding is secured carries
risks of the designs becoming out of date, with further design work
and public consultation needed; inability to use section 106
funding from the Mulberry Park development for the section on
Bradford Road; and inflation increases on all construction
costs.
 
The option for the Council to progress the whole scheme
with capital budget allocations through the Capital programme budget-setting process was considered
unaffordable and unviable amongst other Council
priorities.