BATH PARK & RIDE EAST BATHAMPTON MEADOWS UNDER THREAT

WSP. (2004) Bristol/Bath to South Coast Study. Final Report - The City of Bath Government Office for the South West.

"Park and Ride at Bathampton Meadow"
"The AST indicates that a large adverse impact on the landscape can be expected. At this location, the site would be very visually prominent and would require extensive mitigation measures that are likely to affect the character of the local area. Mitigation measures could include side screening and grass roofing. The latter measure, due to it’s setting in the greenbelt, would be construed as a building and would contravene green belt policy."

"The AST for Bathampton Meadows also indicates adverse impacts on historic resources and on the water environment, particularly the River Avon that would have to accommodate the dust and runoff from the large hard standing area. Careful management would berequired to overcome such impacts, but the results for the traffic reductions indicate that this Park and Ride site can be rejected on grounds of impact on the local environment and only marginal incremental benefits for traffic reduction." (p23)

(2004) Bristol/Bath to South Coast Study. Appendix 2 - Summary responses and comments received from stakeholders.

Highways Agency Environment Strategic Plan 'Towards a balance with nature'
Bathampton Meadows is featured as an "excellent example of biodiversity".

Parkhurst. G.P. (1998) The Economic and Environmental Roles of Park and Ride. ESRC Transport Studies Unit, Centre for Transport Studies. University College London

Parkhurst. G.P. (1996) The Economic and Modal-Split Impacts of Short-Range Park and Ride Schemes: Evidence from Nine UK Cities. ESRC Transport Studies Unit, Centre for Transport Studies. University College London

"...there is little or no evidence in the UK of significant congestion reduction directly attributable to park and ride provision." (Parkhurst 1996)

"P&R evolved as part of a strategy that sought to preserve accessibility. It has been successful in doing this, but by improving vehicle occupancy, not reducing congestion. Perhaps if the sole aim of P&R had been reducing congestion, it would have been abandoned long ago." (Parkhurst 1996)

Dr Parkhurst has just become involved in a European project to evaluate the Bath transport strategy. Although the acadamic experts have become involved to provide an independent evaluation, B&NES is the lead partner!