Is the Lower Bristol Road (LBR) the most crossed road in all of Bath?
Certainly if you stand in the Windsor Bridge area or at Brougham Hayes it is in the running. For this 30mph road bisects the city, and people want to walk along it or across it pretty much everywhere. Except perhaps where the grim vision of 1960s transport planners blights Bath in the Churchill Bridge area, and people are funnelled into a subway. Bath got off lightly compared to many cities- one of the reasons a 20mph city is more easily achieved here than for instance in Bristol.
Unlike the north side of the river, there is no coherent river path. So pedestrians have few choices other than to use the pavements. And in places, those pavements are barely wide enough for two people to pass.
It is generally a narrow road with multiple junctions and slow moving traffic. As ever, the issue arises is the off peak, when given the chance some drivers will go as fast as allowed (and then some…). And if you want to see mobile phone scrolling whilst driving, the close quarters on the LBR means you will see plenty.
A ‘Liveable City’ needs a liveable heart. Time for LBR to have a safer speed limit throughout.
Crashes
The data we have on crashes could be a lot better. But what we have on the LBR it is still overwhelming. Looking at the past 10 year, there are so many pins that in places it is hard to see the road itself.
There have also been two fatalities on the LBR, one a pedestrian hit last in 2026 in a 30mph area. High speeds contribute to the number of crashes and the severity of them.
Humans make errors. It is time to take energy out of crashes and make them less likely to happen for everyone’s sake. Especially in the heart of the city.
Picture this
All from the LBR. For taste, none of the fatal collisions have been included, but there have been 2 in the past decade, one in Twerton and one in Widcombe.
Contact the councillor
| Area | Ward | Councillors | |
| City Limit to McDonalds | Twerton | Tim Ball | tim_ball@bathnes.gov.uk |
| Sarah Moore | Sarah_Moore@BATHNES.GOV.UK | ||
| McDonalds to Brougham Hayes | Westmoreland | June Player | June_Player@bathnes.gov.uk |
| Colin Blackburn | Colin_Blackburn@bathnes.gov.uk | ||
| Brougham Hayes to Churchill Bridge | Oldfield Park | Ian Halsall | Ian_Halsall@bathnes.gov.uk |
| Churchill Bridge to 20mph at Widcombe Junior School | Widcombe | Alison Born | Alison_Born@BATHNES.GOV.UK |
| Stuart Bridge | Stuart_Bridge@BATHNES.GOV.UK |
Sign our petition
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/emergency-20mph-speed-restrictions-for-all-of-bath
Bath 20mph City 