Bath 20mph City

Wellsway and Wells Road (from herein simply ‘Wellsway’) carve through thriving communities, notably in Bear Flat. It is one of the starkest examples of the ‘A-Road Myth’ ie. Bath’s streets should prioritise drivers, even whilst the same road (A367) passing through another community at Radstock is… 20mph.

Stood at the north end of Bear Flat, one can’t but marvel at the sheer expanse of tarmac. The space given over to drivers is staggering really, and it makes one wonder “how did almost an entire civic centre get given over to the motor vehicle?”

The truth is- it didn’t. The street was always pretty much this wide. It was the drivers who slowly and surely took over the space, as civic life was pushed right to the fringes. The street ceased to be a place to linger, chat- indeed, it is pretty difficult to even cross it in 2026.

Recognise this?

Somer Valley Links – getting the basics right?

The BANES delivered A367 Somer Valley Links project should bring some improvements to the physical layout of Wellsway, particularly in the Bear Flat area (see below). Yet despite the BANES policy position being clear that safe speeds are a key part of any road changes, we are yet to see a firm commitment to 20mph on Wellsway.

Elsewhere on the same project (essentially following the A367), proposals include:

• Smallcombe Road, Clandown: Reduce speed to 30mph (although, it appears to be 20mph already)
• Red Post, Peasedown: Reduce speed from 30 to 20mph- implemented
• A367 around Peasedown: Reduce speed from 60mph to 40/50mph.
• And already delivered by different teams in BANES, 20mph for:
  • Radstock
  • Pensford (2027)

And Bathonians left wondering “why don’t we deserve safe speeds too?”

Keep in mind, one of the principle crossing points in Bear Flat, one used by dozen of school children every day, looks like this:

Note the vehicle damage. So we know drivers are hitting things. Introducing safe speed limits is a cheap effective way of reducing collisions and the impact (literally) that they have.

Contact your councillor

Councillors are far more likely to reflect public sentiment if it lands in their inbox. Contact them today so they know there is support for safe speeds.

Area	Ward	Councillors	email
Wells Road / Wellsway Bear Flat to St Martins	Widcombe & Lyncombe	Alison Born	Alison_Born@BATHNES.GOV.UK
		Stuart Bridge	Stuart_Bridge@BATHNES.GOV.UK
Wellsway St Martins to St Gregs College	Odd Down	Steve Hedges	steve_hedges@bathnes.gov.uk
		Joel Hirst	Joel_Hirst@BATHNES.GOV.UK