The Somer Valley Links project covers travel between Midsomer Norton, Westfield and Radstock and Bath/Bristol along the A37, A362 and A367. The proposals include:
- Improving bus stops
- Extending bus lanes and improving junctions
- Creating new cycling and walking routes
- Introducing what are known as "mobility hubs" - places where you can switch between different types of transport easily
We’ve also included potential new crossings and cycle routes - which could be built in the future if we get more funding.
Story so far
In the first stage of the project, between 22 November 2021 and 9 January 2022, people shared their opinions and views about local transport issues. Common themes emerged:
- Cars are often the No 1 choice due to lack of other realistic options
- Buses are perceived as too infrequent, unreliable, journey times too long, and often stuck in traffic
- It can be difficult to use buses due to a lack of crossings and narrow pavements
- People don’t feel safe while walking or cycling along busy roads with fast traffic
- Some of the things that put people off cycling included a lack of dedicated cycle lanes and off-road paths and poor connections between cycle routes that do exist
Your initial feedback helped us to develop these preliminary proposals that we are sharing with you now. These aim to address your concerns, and put in place the basic infrastructure that allows us to choose to travel less by car and more by bus, walking, cycling and - if you use a mobility scooter or wheelchair – wheeling.
What could the proposals mean?
These changes could bring practical positive benefits:
- There would be more options to travel sustainably - whether by bus or walking or cycling
- Buses would be more punctual and quicker, making bus travel a better experience
- New cycle routes would make it safer, easier and more enjoyable to walk and cycle
- It would be easier to switch from one type of transport to another e.g. from a bike to a bus
But, there would be some downsides:
- In some areas, the proposals would mean fewer car parking spaces. Mostly this would be just a few spaces, but along the Wellsway in Bath, this would have a bigger local impact - please click here to find out more details about all the proposals on the Wellsway
- By making it quicker for buses, car journeys could be slower
What’s next?
Once this consultation has finished, all the feedback will be reviewed in detail, which will help us draw up more detailed designs. Later this year we will publish a consultation report - if you’d like to be notified when this is available please sign up for updates: