Rainbow Wood Cycle Path Update

Updated information on the proposed cycle route through Rainbow Wood …

As one of the planning conditions requested by Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES), it was agreed that the University of Bath should contribute financially to the creation of a cycle route through Rainbow Wood. The University agreed to this because it could see the benefits of helping to provide an alternative to cycling on the road.

In April this year, as part of the process of creating the cycle route, an order was made to add a section of the route between the land owned by the National Trust and the University as a footpath on the Definitive Map and Statement for the City of Bath; it is apparently easier to register a section of a route as a footpath first and then subsequently apply to have it changed into a shared use path for pedestrians and cyclists.

An objection was raised to the proposed order on the grounds of the specified width of the path and, as a result, the matter has had to be referred to B&NES Regulatory (Access) Committee. The resolution of such issues usually involve a Public Inquiry.

As the Council do not have the necessary resources to prepare and present the case to the Regulatory (Access) Committee they have made funding available to employ an outside consultant to review, prepare and present the case to the Committee. It is, however, unlikely that this will happen until January 2008.

Until the matter is resolved, the University has been advised that it will not be possible to convert the section into a shared use path.

We will keep you updated with any further developments but in the event of queries, please contact Sarah Haigh in the Department of Estates on extn: 3259.

August 2007