Bath bus plan is left 'in limbo'

Some homes could lose parts of their gardens

Residents and business leaders have reacted with confusion after planners in Bath rejected - and then deferred - a decision on a £50m transport scheme.

Some private gardens would be subject to compulsory purchase orders in order to build the controversial rapid transport bus lane.

At a council meeting on Wednesday a motion to approve the application was rejected by six votes to five.

Another motion to approve it was then deadlocked at five votes each leaving the door open for the council to reapply.

Thousands of people have signed petitions against the plans - we look at opinions from both sides of the fence.

Against the plan

Carolyn Allen whose garden is under threat

I was ecstatic. I rang my neighbour who was interviewed on television last night and I said "we've done it, we've done it". And then within five, ten minutes I was completely crushed.

I don't really understand what's happened. I was unable to attend the meeting but my neighbour filled me in last night and he said it just beggared belief that they had to then vote on what the reasons were for the refusal. Therefore, we now have a deferral.

We've had this for over two years. It's my entire future, it's other people's entire future and I just think this is appalling that we're now left in limbo yet again.

For the plan

Ian Bell, Bath Chamber of Commerce

We accept that the plan isn't perfect and there will be people who... are disadvantaged but what we're trying to suggest to the councillors is they show the leadership and vision which will actually be a benefit to the whole community.

It sounds a bit of a muddle, doesn't it? I left the Guildhall thinking that the vote had happened and it had been turned down and 10 minutes later it was something else.

What worries me is what sort of message does this give to other people. What message does it give to companies who might think about coming and setting up and offering new jobs in Bath. What message does it give to potential developers?

Explaining the decision

Cllr Les Kew, Chair of Development Control Committee

At the moment the application has not been refused but it has not been approved either - so, in a way it is stalemate - but it means it is up to the council to decide what they do.

When you're in a democracy and there are 12 people on a planning committee, you have to have a majority in favour of the application that comes before it. Unfortunately last night, as far as I was concerned, the application was refused six to five. It means that probably the application needs to come back in a different form.

I think there were two parts to the application - one was the park and ride and one was the rapid transit system. I think, it's fair to say that there seemed to be a lot of support for the park and ride but it was the rapid transit system.

This is really a part of the future of Bath, if you look at the overall picture and you see the full package, and this was just a part of it. It does take a long time for these things to happen but I think this was the first stage, and I think that it's disappointing that the application failed.

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What do you think of the outcome of the meeting? Is it a council acting in a sensible way or is the decision all a muddle to you? Let us know.

If Banes [Bath and North East Somerset Council] was a democracy then the fact it was rejected means it was rejected. Let's not continue this undemocratic charade. Lets see democracy be seen to be done and throw out the scheme, It has no support as does the eastern park and ride also have no support. Come on Banes listen to your voters.
Ian, Bath

Bath councillors cannot just continue to defer the vote until they get the answer that they want. The plan was rejected, and it was at last an opportunity for the council to admit that this plan is a flawed, costly whim. The whole process has been an embarrassment to local politics.
Fiona, Bath

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