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Bath and North East Somerset Council says work will begin this autumn on a contraflow cycle lane through Royal Victoria Park, alongside resurfacing and new crossings. The £2.35 million scheme has drawn strong opposition: 84% of 864 consultation respondents objected, while supporters say it could provide a safer route between Weston and the city centre.
Construction is due to begin this autumn on a contraflow cycle lane through Royal Victoria Park in Bath, despite widespread opposition from residents who say cyclists already have a route through the park. The £2.35 million scheme is part of Bath and North East Somerset Council’s programme to connect surrounding neighbourhoods with the city centre by walking, wheeling and cycling routes.
The new route will run beside the park’s one-way ring road on its western and southern sides, allowing cyclists to travel against the direction of motor traffic. The council’s plans also include resurfacing footpaths and adding pedestrian crossings. Tulip-shaped wand kerbs are intended to separate the cycle lane from traffic, and the council says eco-sensitive heritage lighting will be installed at regular intervals.
The park already has a shared pedestrian and cycle path running diagonally across it. The council says the new route is intended to address concerns about cyclists riding dangerously on that path and make the park safer and more welcoming for all users. People cycling out of the city will continue to use the ring road, which has a 10mph speed limit and traffic-calming chicanes.
Opposition was substantial in the council’s public consultation: 84% of 864 respondents objected to the proposals. The most common concern, according to the source report, was that cyclists could already ride through the park. The consultation figure records responses to the council process; it does not establish how all park users or Bath residents feel.
A Route Dividing Park Users
The dispute concerns more than whether another cycle route is needed. The council presents the scheme as a way to connect Weston with the city centre and reduce conflict on the existing shared path. Critics question whether a separate lane will solve a demonstrated problem, and some fear that a route beside the road could create new crossing or safety concerns for people walking in the park.
Supporters describe a potential benefit for people who are less confident cycling alongside motor traffic. Dan, a local cyclist quoted in the report, said the route could offer a quieter trip to town for children learning to cycle and for older or less confident riders. The competing views leave the council facing questions about how the design will work for cyclists, pedestrians and families using the park.
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How the Design Changed
The project is part of Bath and North East Somerset Council’s Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Links programme, which aims to connect neighbourhoods to the city’s active-travel network. The Royal Victoria Park route is intended to link the Upper Weston suburbs to the city. The total project cost is reported as £2.35 million.
Earlier proposals drew criticism from residents and Green Party representatives, who raised concerns that the park is isolated and unlit and could feel unsafe for women and children after dark. After a public consultation, the council revised its plans to add crossings, commit to resurfacing paths on both sides of the road, use separating kerbs rather than relying only on painted markings, and install lighting. Green councillor Saskia Heijltjes said in August that additional lighting would not necessarily address the social-safety concerns associated with a secluded route.
“I can’t really understand what problem this is solving. What’s the point?”
— A local resident who responded to the council consultation
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Questions Before Work Begins
The council’s announcement gives autumn as the construction period, but the source report does not provide a start date, construction schedule or expected completion date. It also does not detail how crossings will be managed where pedestrians encounter two-way cycle and motor traffic, or how the new lane will connect at each end.
The available information does not include the evidence or modelling behind the council’s claim that the scheme will address unsafe cycling on the existing shared path. It is also unclear whether the council will meet with opponents before work starts, or whether it plans further changes after the consultation. The reported opposition figure describes consultation responses, not a representative poll of the whole city.
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Autumn Construction and Monitoring
The council has said work will begin in autumn, alongside resurfacing and installation of crossing points. The next practical details to watch for are a confirmed start date, information on any temporary access arrangements in the park and the final layout of the route, crossings, kerbs and lighting.
Once the scheme opens, its stated aims can be tested against how people use the park: whether more cyclists choose the separated route, whether conflict on the diagonal shared path changes, and how pedestrians experience the crossings. The source material does not state whether the council has published a monitoring plan or committed to a review.
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Key Questions
What is being built in Royal Victoria Park?
A contraflow cycle lane beside the park’s one-way ring road, along with resurfaced paths, new pedestrian crossings, separating kerbs and lighting, according to the council’s plans.
When will construction start?
The council says work is due to begin this autumn. The source report does not give an exact date or a completion timetable.
Why does the council say the new lane is needed?
The council says it aims to connect Upper Weston with the city centre and address concerns about cyclists riding dangerously on the existing shared path through the park.
Why are residents objecting?
Many consultation respondents said cyclists can already cross the park. Other concerns include the route’s perceived social safety after dark, possible conflict at crossings and the risk of fast cycling near pedestrians and the playground.
How many consultation respondents opposed the scheme?
84% of 864 respondents opposed the proposals in the council’s consultation, according to the source report. The figure represents consultation responses, not a poll of all Bath residents.
Source: rss
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