More than £2million for safer walking, wheeling and cycling links in Bath

View along a wide city street with a bus stop in the foreground, facing the Holburne Museum. A bench and railings line the pavement, while a few cars travel on the road. Trees with autumn foliage frame the museum, with directional traffic islands and banners visible in the scene.

Safer, more direct cycling routes through Bath city centre will move forward later this year as over £2million has been confirmed to improve links connecting Bath city centre to the Kennet & Avon Canal, improving the National Cycle Route 4 (NCN 4) and key routes for walking and wheeling.

£1.8 million from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, plus a further £460,000 from Bath and North East Somerset Council, will be used to encourage more people to cycle by moving riders away from the busy A36 and onto quieter streets.

Beginning on Great Pulteney Street, part of the route passes through the new Sydney Gardens Liveable Neighbourhood, where reduced traffic levels are helping to create a more pleasant environment for walking, wheeling and cycling.

New crossings on Great Pulteney Street and the A36 will improve access to key destinations including Bathwick St Mary Primary School, Sydney Gardens and the Holburne Museum.

Creating a joined-up network across the city centre will make cycling easier, safer and more direct, appealing to a wider range of people.

Regular walking or cycling can improve physical fitness and mental wellbeing, as well as saving money. New national targets announced by the Department for Transport aim for 55% of short trips to be made by walking or cycling by 2035, with over £4.5 billion to deliver 5,000 new routes and 10,000 safer crossings over the next five years.

Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said:

“Active travel plays a big part in our Transport Vision for the future. Creating safer routes for walking, wheeling and cycling will help people be able to make everyday journeys more easily. These improvements will also improve access to schools and local destinations, and support our efforts to tackle congestion and improve air quality.

“This latest investment will make a real difference for communities, as we continue building a better-connected region.”

Councillor Lucy Hodge, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport Delivery at Bath & North East Somerset Council, said:

“This is a significant investment in making it safer and easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle around Bath. By improving links between the city centre, National Cycle Route 4 and the Kennet & Avon Canal, we are creating a more joined-up network that helps people travel more confidently on quieter, better-connected routes.”

Over half a billion pounds was awarded to the West of England through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), to improve sustainable travel across the region. The designs for the Kennet & Avon Canal link were finalised following public consultation in late 2024/early 2025. Works will start in the summer, with detailed construction dates announced nearer the time.

In December, Active Travel England upgraded the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority’s capability rating from Level 2 to Level 3, recognising the region’s ability to plan, manage and deliver active travel schemes. The rating places the West of England alongside Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and West Yorkshire, and helped secure more than £11.7 million in additional government funding.

Original press release by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.