Bath and North East Somerset Council will start work on Monday, 24th April to prepare the High Street for the implementation of a new layout to reduce traffic through the busy shopping area.

A temporary one-way system will be used from Monday, 24th to Friday, 28th April followed by a full closure of the High Street over the Bank Holiday weekend. The road will re-open on Tuesday, 2nd May with the new layout fully in place.

The one-way trial is being carried out following public support during consultation on the B&NES Placemaking Plan and the Keynsham Transport Strategy which aims to reduce the impact of traffic, improve air quality and would allow future improvements to the pedestrian environment.

Under the trial, a one-way system will work southbound on the High Street towards Bath Hill. At the end of the High Street, all traffic except buses will need to turn left. The current roundabout at the top of Bath Hill will be removed, creating a junction here between the High Street and Bath Hill/Temple Street. A cycle contraflow will be created northbound running parallel to the footway.

As part of the scheme the Council has taken to the opportunity to permanently improve traffic movement by building a bus layby in Ashton Way and will be signalising the crossing on Charlton Road.

A number of changes to bus services will be necessary, as detailed below.

From Monday 24 April, the existing bus stops outside the Post Office in the High Street and at the rear of Poundland in Ashton Way will no longer be in use. Instead, new stops will be operating from the High Street southbound and from the completed lay-by next to the car park in Ashton Way. Details of the services from each of these stops are as follows:

High Street bus stop southbound services:

· 19A, 38, 39, A4 to Bath

· 38, 38A, 349 to Park Estate

· 178 to Radstock

· 636, 684 to Waitrose

· 663 to Chandag Estate

· 664 to Saltford

· 665 to Park Estate

· 668 to Peasedown St John

Ashton Way bus stop services northbound:

· 17 to Southmead Hospital

· 19A to Cribbs Causeway

· 39, 178, 668 to Bristol

· 636 to Hengrove

· 640 to Bishop Sutton

· 663, 664 to Somerdale

· 684 to Wick

· A4 to Bristol airport

*A more frequent service of buses to Bristol is available from the bus stop in Bristol Road, opposite St John’s Church

Saturday 29 April to Monday 1 May there will be no southbound stop on the High Street due to a full road closure. Passengers should use the stop at St John’s Church or the Park on Bath Hill.

More details regarding the trial are available on the Council’s website at www.bathnes.gov.uk/Keynsham