Love Liveable Bath 

The Bath & North East Somerset Liveable Neighbourhoods (LN) consultation is now open, on 15 areas - but only until the 3rd of January!! We are a local environmental group working to get a strong voice of support and to ensure they are designed with fairness and equality in mind. If you are short of time, to respond immediately, go here and put pins in the map and "like" other pins. Or keep reading for other things you can do if you are keen to see safer, cleaner streets. 

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Liveable Neighbourhoods are similar to cul-de-sacs in preventing vehicular through-traffic so that the streets are safer for children and for walking, cycling and mobility scooters. Many "Liveable Neighbourhoods" already exist in Bath where through traffic is prevented and residents, visitors and deliveries still have easy access by motor vehicle. When LNs are done right, people get around with less use of private cars, which can reduce congestion and pollution across a wider area. With car ownership ever-rising and carbon emissions from transport stubbornly high, LNs that create space for other modes are an important measure amongst the many that will be needed to transform our transport system.  Click here to see what the research says about Liveable Neighbourhoods.

 

LNs will be implemented as a trial - after a few months they will be kept if they work, or changed or removed following feedback from the community. See the map at the bottom of the page for locations.

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So your constructive input is incredibly important. We need to make sure Liveable Neighbourhoods work as well as they possibly can for everyone. They could be a vital part of a larger programme to tackle traffic. Careful design will be crucial, to ensure that the benefits are felt by all including people with disabilities and on lower incomes. 

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All political parties want to reduce traffic and all supported the Climate Emergency declaration. Liveable Neighbourhoods are part of central Government’s Net Zero Strategy (p158). Support now will help them continue to be developed across future administrations, and strengthen resolve for a long-term, coherent strategy to transform travel in Bath.

 

There are several things you can do to help: 

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1) Share this site via Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, carrier pigeon, smoke signal or hilltop beacon - whichever way you can! The numbers will count - the more people respond, the more likely we will see progress. 

 

2) Respond to the consultation. This is the most important. You can read the Council's background info here or click here to go straight to the consultation page. Even if you don't live in the area, but just pass through, your comments are welcome! You can suggest improvement on maps of each Liveable Neighbourhood, or "like" other people's suggestions - we encourage you to do 5 comments or "likes" :-)  See here for instructions on how to use the consultation page if needed.

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3) Become a "Liveable Friend": Do you live in one of the areas proposed? Would you want to be involved in supporting the project in your area but are not already involved in a group? Contact us here if so and we will be in touch and connect you to others in your area who respond.  

 

3) Tweet the political parties. Please edit, but perhaps something like: 

Please increase, improve & expand Liveable Neighbourhoods for safe, clean, climate friendly streets in Bath! #loveliveablebath @bathnesld @BathCA @BathLabourParty @BathNESGreens

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4) Email the political parties and their leaders: Right now, the parties are writing manifestos for the next election and want to hear what residents care about. The leaders are: Liberal Democrats- Cllr Kevin Guy, Conservatives- Cllr Vic Pritchard, Labour- Cllr Robin Moss, Green Party- Cllr Joanna Wright

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Email addresses: You can simply copy these and email them all at once:

Kevin_Guy@BATHNES.GOV.UK; vic_pritchard@bathnes.gov.uk; Robin_Moss@bathnes.gov.uk; Joanna_Wright@BATHNES.GOV.UK; theoffice@bathneslibdems.org.uk; office@bathconservatives.com; info@bathlabour.online; contact@bathnesgreens.org.uk

 

Sample message to councillors to edit: It is best if say at the start why you care about the idea of Liveable Neighbourhoods. Then of course add any particular points you would like to make... 

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Dear Councillor, 

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I strongly support the principle of Liveable Neighbourhoods. I would like to see bold schemes be developed in the current areas be proposed, and future schemes come forward. Research shows Liveable Neighbourhoods can be an important part of creating safe, clean and climate-friendly places and Bath urgently needs this. 

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I would also like your party to support the principle of Liveable Neighbourhoods and for you to work with the other parties to ensure continued support for sustainable transport. 85% of residents supported the idea of Liveable Neighbourhoods in the last consultation and all political parties want to reduce traffic. I would ask that you engage with and include the views of local people with disabilities and on lower incomes when designing the schemes to maximise the benefits for all. 

 

Might you please let me know your thoughts on this? 

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Best wishes (Name/ address/ postcode - crucial so they can see you live in B&NES)

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5. Bonus Point - Send an email "letter" to the local media! They love to cover local transport and Councillors use it to gauge public opinion.  Send to news@bathchron.co.uk or news@bathecho.co.uk 

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Thanks for your support and we hope to see you out and about in a Liveable Neighbourhood soon!