True cost of bus lane revealed

In the week that Bath and North East Somerset has started further works on the A367 going into Bath, new figures have been obtained which show that the infamous 700-yard bus lane at Odd Down actually cost £72,600 more than was previously quoted.

Last summer Senior Lib Dem Gail Coleshill and Peasedown Councillor Nathan Hartley hit the national press with the news that Tory-run B&NES Council had spent £916,000 on a bus lane which was only 700yards long.

The news attracted criticism from politicians, residents and national motoring group the RAC.
Now, nine months later it has been revealed that the total cost of the bus lane is in fact £988,600. Prospective Lib Dem MP for North East Somerset Gail Coleshill says this money has been wasted on a bus lane that is rarely used:

“It’s a great shame that £988,600 has been spent on a 700yard stretch of road that has not at all helped ease the congestion going in and out of Bath – which is what those that who proposed it thought it would do.

Right from the beginning I knew this wouldn’t work and have been calling for years for alternative modes of travel to be explored to ease the congestion on the roads.

I would rather this money was spent on reopening some of the Railway Stations in the authority in places like Radstock, Saltford and Bathampton and also providing every single teenager in B&NES with a free bus pass.”

Midsomer Norton resident Mike Jakins wonders if B&NES will ever learn from its mistakes. He said:

“Before this bus lane was built drivers would often get stuck in traffic on the A367 trying to get to the Park and Ride. Now the bus lane has been built, they still get stuck in traffic trying to get to the Park and Ride. Nothing’s changed. What frustrates me most is that central government and the council both say they have limited funds for front line services... but can afford this monstrosity of a bus lane!”

Despite attracting criticism from all over the country last year, B&NES has decided to build another bus lane further into Bath near the Red Lion Inn which is only 177yards long. Peasedown Councillor Nathan Hartley added:

“£115,000 of the total £988,600 was spent on consultants. You’d think that they, for that amount of money, would have given the council the simple advice not to spend anymore on bus lanes. Apparently not, the Conservatives haven’t learnt and want to re-live last summer all over again.
Interestingly, even the Council gritters recognise that no one uses the bus lane because there was a perfect sheet of snow over it in January, with the other two lanes cleared from the grit laid by council workmen.”

Almost 150 people have joined a Facebook group set up by Gail Coleshill condemning the bus lane.

The figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats show that the £988,600 was spent on:

Construction (New bus lane, drainage & ancillary works) = £720,100

Internal costs (Project management, legal, property, planning requirements) = £111,400

External costs (Preliminary, feasibility & detailed design consultants) = £115,418

Land (Land purchase, agents & licensingfees) = £37,477

Environmental (Archaeological surveys, site investigation, safety audits, misc) = £14,225