New Cycle and Foot Bridge to Open in Batheaston

On Tuesday the 15th of July, at 9:30am, The Vice Chairman of Bath & North East Somerset Council will officially open a new cycle-way and footbridge across the Rover Avon at Batheaston village.

Work on the £890,000 footbridge and cycle path running through the riverside meadows linking to Mill Lane and Bathampton started on 30 September 2013.

Partly funded through the Department of Transport’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund, the initiative has been supported by Batheaston Parish Council since it was raised in the Batheaston Vision Plan in 2009.

Councillor Ian Gilchrist, Vice-Chairman of the Council, will be there to cut a ribbon to mark the official opening.

Bath & North East Somerset Council Leader, Councillor Paul Crossley, (Lib-Dem, Southdown) said: “This new footbridge and cycleway will improve access from Batheaston to Bath city centre for walkers and cyclists.

“The new route will allow people to travel from the centre of Batheaston via the new foobridge across the River Avon and a three-metre wide path following the river across Council-owned fields to Mill Lane, linking with Bathampton and  National Cycle Route 4 on the Kennet & Avon Canal towpath, avoiding the need to use the busy London Road”.

Councillor Caroline Roberts (Lib-Dem, Newbridge ), Cabinet Member for Transport, said, “Bath & North East Somerset Council is proud to open this new walking and cycling route – connecting residents in Batheaston with Bath city centre – which represents a significant improvement to our transport network.

“The route will also provide convenient access for thousands of people living north east of Bath to the National Cycle Network. Ultimately, the Council wants to encourage more people to use more sustainable forms of transport other than the private car.”