People need safe, reliable, sustainable and affordable transport. Congestion and long journey times are holding our region back. With almost a quarter of households lacking access to a car, good transport options are vital. They help children get to school, enable families to access food and other essentials, support people travelling to work, and allow older residents to stay connected with friends and family, reducing social isolation.

Delays are common across the region, with both Bath and Bristol in the top 10 cities nationally for traffic delays. Delays on key routes linking our biggest cities, such as the A4, make it hard for people to get around the region to work and learn. This leads to time wasted in traffic, poorer air quality, and limits the potential for economic growth.

Plans to build thousands of new homes near the A4 over the next 20 years could place extra pressure on the transport network without changes.

We need to tackle congestion. By improving alternatives such as buses, and provision for cycling, wheeling and walking, it will make it easier for people to leave the car at home when they want to. This will help to ease congestion and keep our roads flowing more smoothly for those who do need to drive.

The A4 Bath to Bristol project is designed to give people better choices to travel sustainably, improving the route for buses and making it easier and safer to walk, wheel or cycle. This specific section of the project in Keynsham aims to:

• Provide two new bus stops for Keynsham to give access to the X39 bus service
• Improve bus stops in the Keynsham area to make travelling by bus more attractive
• Create safer and more pleasant routes for people who walk, wheel and cycle, including new crossings and a new path along the Keynsham bypass for walking, cycling and wheeling.

In 2021, the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority asked people who live and travel along the A4 area what they thought about transport issues (West of England Combined Authority, Bristol to Bath Strategic Corridor Engagement Report, 2021).

1,700 responses were received, which showed: 

• Most journeys along the A4 are made by car
• 77% of people who responded thought that traffic moves slowly and traffic flow is poor  
• People were concerned about air quality air along the A4, with 77% rating it as ‘poor’

We also learned that people wanted:

• Bus services that they can depend on, with 60% saying they are ‘very likely’ to use the bus often if the bus services are more reliable 
• Safe, separate cycle lanes, as 65% of people who responded said cycle paths were ‘poor’, and 72% suggested they would likely cycle more if separate cycle paths were provided

We used this feedback to identify potential future improvements, which were then shared as part of a public consultation in 2023. We reviewed all the feedback received in 2023 and updated our designs in response to this and further technical work. The Consultation Report for the 2023 consultation can be found online here. 

We presented updated designs for our proposals for the A4 from Keynsham to Bath in October 2025. We have reviewed the feedback from this consultation, updated our designs and recently published a Consultation Report, which can be found online here.

We are now consulting on updated designs for proposals for the Keynsham section of the A4, which have been strongly influenced by feedback received since 2023. This feedback raised concerns about the impacts of new bus lanes on general traffic and journey times, and environmental impacts of proposals in the park.

In October 2025, the section of the scheme around Keynsham needed some further design work in response to feedback. We’re now ready to share the updated designs for Keynsham, to give the opportunity for further feedback.

Using public transport, or getting around by walking, wheeling, or cycling helps cut down traffic and reduce delays because fewer people are driving cars. It also helps clean up the air and is better for the environment, since transport causes about 30% of the country’s carbon emissions.

There are health benefits too. Walking and cycling help you stay fit, lowers the risk of some illnesses and has been shown to help manage stress. It’s especially good for children. Physical activity can boost concentration and support better academic performance.

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority was awarded £540 million in 2022 by the Department for Transport as part of the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement to improve the region’s sustainable transport network – including improvements to public transport, walking, wheeling and cycling. This project is one part of that wider programme in the West of England.

The funding awarded to the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority for this project has strict criteria and is limited to projects that deliver better infrastructure for buses, cycling, walking, and wheeling. This means that it can only be used to improve infrastructure for these modes of transport, such as bus lanes, bus stops, cycle paths, crossings and pavements.

Separately to this project, we work with local councils and bus operators to improve bus services – jointly aiming to make buses more frequent, cleaner, keep fares stable and develop new and better-quality services and facilities.

Different funding sources are also already being used to improve and support bus services in the region. For example, the Combined Authority funds the WESTlocal K1 service in Keynsham, and money from Bristol City Council’s Clean Air Zone has launched bus service 36, which runs through St Anne’s and Bishopsworth.

We know that people choose to drive for many different reasons. For some, it is essential due to reasons such as work commitments or accessibility. For others, it is the most convenient option because of personal schedules or lack of alternative options available. However, many people depend on public transport, cycling, walking or wheeling to get to school, work or appointments. We want to give everyone more travel choices — and make it easier to leave the car at home when possible. This would mean less traffic for those who do need to drive.

Most of our proposals have been designed to not take away lanes of traffic for vehicles. Our aim is to balance the needs of all road users, helping make sure that people have as many different options to choose from as possible, with easier and safer options for walking, wheeling, cycling and catching the bus.

Generally, more people choose to cycle when safe, good-quality bike lanes are provided. 72% of people who responded to our 2021 survey said they would be more likely to cycle if there were separate and safe cycle lanes.

Some trees would be affected if the proposals go ahead (please see details in following section) but we have designed the proposals to avoid tree loss wherever possible. Local planning policy also means that any trees that need to be removed for any development must be relocated or replaced elsewhere.

When land is developed, plants, animals and habitats can be affected. This project is committed to providing ‘Biodiversity Net Gain’ of 10 – 20%, which means making sure developments leave nature in a better state than before, for example, by planting more trees, creating wildflower meadows, improving hedgerows or restoring wetlands.

Our proposals have been developed and refined considering feedback from previous engagement. We continue to update the project designs based on feedback, and this is your opportunity to comment on the current plans for Keynsham.

All feedback is analysed and presented to decision-makers, and then a decision will be made on which schemes will be taken forwards for more design development. The results of these decisions will be published in a consultation report.

While this is the last full consultation for the Keynsham proposals, some elements of the project that would require traffic regulation orders or planning permission would need later consultation that would be run by Bath & North East Somerset as the Highways Authority. This would give you another opportunity to comment on those proposals.

Feedback in 2023 raised concerns about the impacts of new bus lanes on general traffic and journey times, and the environmental impacts of proposals in the park.

In response to this feedback and as a result of further technical work, we are no longer proposing 24-hour bus lanes on the full length of the Keynsham Bypass. Instead, short sections (200m) of bus lane are proposed on either side of the new bus stops to help buses move in and out of the stops safely.

We have also scaled back our proposals for Memorial Park. Previous proposals included a mobility hub in the park. Instead, we are proposing a short stretch of new pedestrian-only path in the park to reach the new bus stops and shared-use path on the Keynsham Bypass.

These proposals have been carefully designed to minimise impacts on trees and views, and to prioritise safety.

We are also no longer proposing cycle paths on Durley Hill, as we are instead proposing the new shared use path along the bypass.

We will continue to listen carefully to local feedback as plans develop, using this to inform final proposals that strike the right balance between local concerns and long-term benefits for Keynsham.

As well as supporting the overall project objectives of future-proofing our transport network and offering people more choice about how they travel, we need to update this section of the A4 as it is a missing link in bus and active travel connectivity between Bath and Bristol. Services to Bath and Bristol don’t stop often in Keynsham due to congestion and delays. These new bus stops would enable access from Keynsham to more bus services, namely the X39. Alongside the shared use path, the proposals would provide new, reliable journey options for journeys to Bristol and Bath.

Central government has also set high targets for building new houses, so we need to plan transport for the future of the area.

As with all our proposals, we are aiming to strike a balance between all road and path users. We don’t want to take away a lane of traffic on the bypass, but the new shared-use path and the bus stops would offer great benefits for the area.

National design standards for cycling, walking and wheeling paths determine how people using the path need to be protected from traffic. Depending on a road’s speed limit, a buffer might be needed between road and path; the higher the speed limit, the wider the buffer needs to be. The bypass speed reduction is therefore needed, otherwise the higher traffic speeds would mean a wider buffer is needed, making it harder to keep the same number of traffic lanes on the bypass.

So, to safely implement the shared use path, the crossings on the bypass and keep two lanes on the A4, the maximum speed limit for the road needs to be 40mph. The speed limit will be enforced by average speed cameras at either end of the bypass. This speed limit is also more consistent with that on either side of the bypass, currently 40mph towards Bristol or 30mph towards Bath through Saltford. Traffic modelling and other surveys have been carried out, to ensure the bypass still functions well, and that the proposals would be as safe as possible.

At congested times and at very low speeds, pollution can be higher. Typically reducing speed limits - for example from 70 mph to 40 mph - reduces pollution concentrations and results in better air quality.

Bristol City Council and Bath & North East Somerset Council continually monitor air quality and nitrogen dioxide levels, and this is accessible online at www.bristol.gov.uk/residents/pests-pollution-noise-and-food/air-quality-and-pollution/air-quality and www.bathnes.gov.uk/air-quality.

An added benefit of lower speed limits is reducing noise pollution for local residents, and in Memorial Park.

We listened to your feedback and are no longer proposing bus lanes along the entire bypass. The short bus lanes we have proposed are only 200m in length, including the bus stops themselves, and are necessary for allowing the buses to stop safely at the new bus stops, they are not to make bus journeys faster or more reliable.

The designs for the short bus lanes have been developed to minimise risk, and the lanes would be long enough to allow vehicles to safely merge.

The Bristol and Bath Railway Path (BBRP) is an excellent route for leisure and recreational walking, wheeling and cycling. However, it is not a very direct route and is therefore not convenient for many people. The new shared use path along the Keynsham Bypass will create an almost flat, direct cycle route that is separated from traffic all the way from Bristol to Saltford, where cyclists can then pick up the BBRP to connect to Bath.

We would like the A4 to become a road that facilitates efficient journeys between Bath and Bristol, and the shared use path along the bypass would provide this. It also has the added benefit of facilitating connections to Keynsham, which the BBRP does not have.

This funding can only be used for infrastructure, not pay for more bus services to run. Plus, Keynsham town centre sees a lot of traffic congestion, and buses get stuck in that congestion, so the X39 would take longer if it had to go through Keynsham town centre and may result in fewer people using it.

To run the 39 during the day the X39 services would need to be cut back, and the X39 is well-used throughout the day between Bath and Bristol. The new bus stops on the Keynsham Bypass will mean Keynsham residents can access the X39's existing timetable throughout the day and the 39 outside of those hours.

In addition, we considered other potential locations for these bus stops, including Station Road, The Avenue and Pool Barton, and how people could get to them. The location on the bypass is more central to Keynsham, enables the creation of the shared use path, and needs less significant engineering, earthworks and tree removal.

The style of gate has been selected to maximise accessibility and safety. The gate can be operated using three different points and heights and not requiring too much force to use it. It would also have brightly coloured handles and latches for better visibility. The gate also opens out (away from you) no matter which side you use it from, so it is as easy as possible for people using mobility equipment, and automatically closes once no longer in use.

There are design challenges to creating an access from the north. The abbey ruins are close by, which presents an archaeological constraint, and there are big differences in levels, which would be difficult and expensive to engineer a solution for.

We anticipate needing to remove or relocate about ten trees as part of these proposals. We have avoided impacts on the most mature trees, and designed the path to limit impacts on others. However, some extra space is needed to create a safe and accessible walking and wheeling path through the park. Any trees that are impacted would be moved or replaced, in line with local planning policy. We have developed a landscaping plan for how to do this sensitively.

There is currently a byelaw in place in Keynsham Memorial Park that prohibits cycling in the park.

If the proposals were to go ahead, the new path connecting to the bypass bus stops area would need to clearly state cycling is not allowed, and cycling access to the shared use path will be signposted to the Gaston Avenue connection.

Creating new crossings around Keynsham High Street roundabout would improve safety but require more road space. This means that Keynsham Church Bus Stop B might need to be removed. We are exploring whether the bus stop can be moved further down Bristol Road, or even stay where it is. But this work is ongoing so we are keen to hear from this consultation how any changes might impact the community.

Services 39, 43, 522 and A4 currently serve the bus stop, and we anticipate if this bus stop is removed, that services would instead just call at the other stops already on their routes in Keynsham. These stops would be better able to manage any increased passenger numbers, due to the bus stop upgrades also proposed as part of the project.

There were concerns surrounding loss of parking in our 2023 consultation, so we have been mindful of minimising impacts on parking as far as possible.

While our proposals offer great benefits for new cycling, walking and wheeling connections from the north of Keynsham and the station to the new bypass bus stops, some parking is impacted. This means that there would be some loss of parking on either side of the High Street, leading up to the roundabout. The existing short-stay 30-minute parking space on Station Road would be removed to allow for improvements to the roundabout. The parking by Fear Hall would be maintained and amended to provide two Blue Badge parking spaces, a loading bay and a length of parking bay for general use. Again, this consultation is asking for feedback on what that might mean for Keynsham.

The new raised crossings are designed for more seamless and safer journeys for walking and wheeling. Vehicles would need to slow down and stop more frequently at the crossings, which may add a very small amount of time to journeys.

We understand this lamp is an important feature in Keynsham, so it would remain in the centre position of the mini roundabout. During construction, it would need to be moved temporarily to keep it safe.

Our approach to construction will depend on our final proposals, which will only be decided after this consultation. However, our aspiration during construction here would be to maintain a footway along the road throughout construction.

There is regular informal parking along this stretch of road. Preventing this would improve pedestrian and cyclist safety and accessibility by stopping obstruction of the existing advisory cycle lane and pathway by parked vehicles. It would also reduce delays the buses currently experience due to being blocked by parked cars by allowing more road space for buses to safely and efficiently serve the bus stops.

If the Keynsham proposals go ahead, construction could start in 2027.

The A4 Bath to Bristol is a big project, so the construction work would take time – potentially around two years - and needs to be carefully planned. We’ll do everything we can to reduce disruption to local people and traffic such as not building two sections close to each other at the same time.

Some disruption is unavoidable, but we’ll keep residents and road users well informed before and during the works. Where possible, we’ll carry out work at night if it’s not too close to houses, or during quieter times in busier road areas. We’ll also aim to keep at least one lane of traffic running in each direction during construction and would try to coordinate with other roadworks to avoid extra delays.

This is not yet decided. A tender process for a contractor would be carried out ahead of works starting.