The 2021 Newsletter print edition was delivered to houses in the catchment area in May. There are a few printed copies still available from Rachael if you would like one. The electronic version is here
Huge thanks to Simon Brand
The Association has said goodbye to our brilliant secretary, Simon Brand who (along with his growing family) has moved from the Crescent today to a new family home in Widcombe. Simon has been a Committee member for many years and we will all miss him a lot. Sarah Garrett has valiantly agreed to take on the Secretary role on our Committee (thank you Sarah!) .
She will be in touch in the coming weeks with news of our 2021 AGM arrangements.
Cleveland Bridge, Webinar: 29th March
Monday 29th March 2021, 5pm
Webinar - Cleveland Bridge Refurbishment
Motorists are being advised about traffic management arrangements ahead of essential engineering works to repair Bath’s historic Cleveland Bridge.
The £3.8 million scheme is set to start in April, when scaffolding is erected, ahead of the bridge closing fully in May. It is expected to take seven months to complete the work.
This public webinar is taking place to explain the need for repairs and to answer questions about the scheme
29 March 2021 via Zoom
Virtual doors open: 17.00-18.00
Register through this link:
https://bathnes.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_aDux1-s4TeKoiitq9J17-g
People can submit questions beforehand through the email address - mark_hayward@bathnes.gov.uk and they can also ask questions at the webinar.
You can keep up to date on news regarding Cleveland Bridge by signing up for the council’s weekly e-connect newsletter and following the council on
Twitter @bathnes
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bathnes/
Bath Council - River Line Consultation
Dear members there is a new consultation from the council to create a riverside linear park . Please find attached the consultation document to find out more and provide your input
https://bathriverline.co.uk/index.php
BATH CLEAN AIR ZONE
The Council is introducing the Clean Air Charging zone for Bath from Monday March 15th.
Please see the link attached to the Council website which explains a map of the charging zone and the vehicle charges that will apply.
Please note that all private cars are exempt from charges. Vans, taxis and delivery vehicles which don't meet emission standards will face charges if they travel through the charging zone.
The red advance notice signage will be replaced with zone boundary signs.
Bath's Clean Air Zone | Bath and North East Somerset Council (bathnes.gov.uk)
LTN Q&A with Cllr Joanna Wright
Please see a link to an interview with councillor Joanna Wright. She addresses questions regarding the Low Traffic Neighbourhood development process.
We are awaiting information from our ward councillors regarding the next stages in the council’s plans, a timeline and the selection criteria which determines the first areas to be chosen. Also a more detailed plan for how local consultation will be conducted. We hope to have this information soon.
https://www.bathecho.co.uk/news/politics/transport-boss-concerns-low-traffic-neighbourhoods-93730/
Developments for Low Traffic Neighbourhood for the Lansdown Crescent Area and Winifred's Lane
Earlier this month The Association had a meeting with our Ward Councillors and other Resident Representatives from St James's Square, Cavendish Road, Cavendish Crescent, Somerset Place, Sion Hill/Summerhill Road, Sion Hill Place and Winifred's Lane. We provided evidence of the impacts (in non-Lockdown times) of increased traffic volumes (rat running), speeding on Cavendish Road and Winifred's Lane and finally violations of the width restriction TRO on Lansdown Crescent and Cavendish Road.
Our Councillors have taken all of this evidence and will be working with the Highways Officers to determine whether our area becomes a candidate for a trial Low Traffic Neighbourhood. If we are shortlisted there will be local consultation which residents will be invited to participate in later this year.
Many areas across Bath are seeking to participate in these trials, to protect their residential roads from speeding and rat running without displacing onto other residential roads. We think that this is an important consideration and have worked hard since our Summer AGM to work with our neighbouring Resident Associations and Councillors to provide the correct evidence for our area. We are now awaiting news from our Councillors regarding the first schemes in Bath or in BNES to be trialled with an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order.
Ben moves on to pastures new
We are sad to share with residents that Ben, the lovely Suffolk ram will not be returning this year. He sadly passed away a short while ago. He was a delightful character and much loved by all those who regularly visited him over the last few years. He will certainly be missed.
On a happier note, our old favourite Bill will soon be returning and will be accompanied by a new friend called Basil, a healthy 18 month old ram. We can expect them within the next few weeks. A true sign of Spring!
Bristol Airport expansion
Dear members
One of our residents, Dr Nick Bishop, has been active in campaigning to stop the planned expansion to Bristol Airport. The original application was turned down by B&NES. However, the Airport has launched an appeal against this refusal.
Nick is extremely concerned about the plans for more night-time flights over Bath and Lansdown which would be greatly increased. His concern is focused on the noise and environmental impacts on Bath which have not been considered in the Bristol Airport application.
The Committee decided to write to Wera Hobhouse and Councillor Dine Romero this week to detail our concerns.
In addition we would urge you to register your views too , see link attached.
If you would like to use the evidence Nick has produced for the basis of your objection this is also attached.
Dr Marianna Clark
Marianna Clark, LCA trustee and our oldest and longest-term resident, sadly died at the age of 98.
Please find a tribute to Dr Marianna Clark that appeared in the Somerset Live on 5th November 2020
A woman who could strike up a conversation with anyone she met, and gave her life to Bath, has died this week aged 98.
Dr Marianna Clark lived in the city for more than 60 years, serving as a city councillor, Lady Mayoress, and Justice of the Peace. She was also "instrumental" in preserving Bath's history.
Her daughter, Harriet Hall, said: “My mother was always grateful for what life gave her.
“A lot of people have said what good company she was. She did love meeting people and she was very, very open.
“As children, we would be embarrassed when she would stop the car, and give people some sort of information that she thought they ought to have.”
The Museum of Bath at Work was her mother’s “proudest achievement”, Ms Hall said.
“It all started in 1976 with Bowler’s old lemonade factory, which was due to be demolished. My mother saved Mr Bowler’s office and the stock from the factory and it’s now in the museum,” she said.
Stuart Burroughs, the museum’s only member of staff, remembered Dr Clark fondly.
“She was instrumental in bringing the Museum of Bath at Work into existence and supporting it through thick and thin.
“She was a great support to me personally and she was always willing to muck in; she would do the washing-up if that was what was required,” he said.
Born in Germany in 1922, to a Polish mother and German father, Dr Clark came to England as a refugee in 1939.
She enrolled at the Polish School of Medicine, Edinburgh, and three years later married Stephen Clark; great-grandson of the shoe-shop mogul.
Together they had four children and, in 1947, Marianna completed her degree in medicine at the University of Edinburgh.
In 1952, she travelled to Bath to start work as a part-time doctor. Four years later, she moved to a house near Lansdown Crescent, where she lived for 64 years until her death.
Dr Clark went on to be a city councillor and was pleasantly surprised in the 1970s, when the Mayor, who was a woman, asked her to take on the role of Lady Mayoress.
Over the course of her life, she was also a trustee of St John’s Hospital; which runs several old people's homes in Bath.
"She used to go round the homes and ask all the residents how they were doing," her daughter said.
With the Abbey Treasure Sale, Dr Clark helped raise money to clean the west front of Bath Abbey and, as an avid concert-goer in later years, she supported the Mozart Festival and the Bath Festival.
“The musicians even used to come and play the piano in her house,” Ms Hall said.
Dr Clark was also a member of Lansdown Crescent Society until she died.
"She used to sit outside and talk to people going by. She would say, ‘I don’t know you, but who are you? And how are you?’," her daughter said.
Dr Clark passed away peacefully at home on Monday, November 2. A celebration of her life will take place when circumstances permit.
LCA Biannual Newsletter - Autumn 2020
Dear Members,
As part of our communications to our members, we’re delighted to share with you our first biannual newsletter, for autumn 2020.
You can view the newsletter by clicking here.
Please note that, unlike our annual newsletter, this will not be issued in printed form.
Somerset Live Article on Low Traffic Neighbourhoods
Dear Members, we thought you’d be interested in the following recent article on Somerset Live:
Low traffic neighbourhoods in Bath: what will happen to traffic?
Guardian Article on Low Traffic Neighbourhoods
Dear Members, we thought you’d be interested in the following recent article in the Guardian:
Despite a loud opposing minority, low-traffic neighbourhoods are increasingly popular
Council Webinar on Liveable Neighbourhood Strategy
Dear Members
The Council conducted a webinar on their Liveable Neighbourhood strategy . Our Chair attended on behalf of the Lansdown Crescent Association.
They have recorded the panel discussion and we would recommend watching, by clicking here.
New Destructor Bridge is now open
The brand-new Destructor Bridge in Bath is set to encourage more walking and cycling and help create a low traffic neighbourhood after it opened on 7th October. Please click here for more details.
Bath Council Liveable Neighbourhoods Consultation
Dear Members
Please find a consultation document from Bath Council, (very clear and straight forward to complete). This is the first stage of consultations which the Council will undertake. The document is seeking views for their city wide approach.
I hope that you find the time to participate in the online survey. The vote taken at this year’s LCA AGM demonstrates an appetite amongst our membership for improvements across the city and a recognition that rat-running needs to be addressed on our residential streets and heritage environments; so please take part and make sure that your views are registered.
Regards
Rachael Hushon
Chair Lansdown Crescent Association
Lansdown Crescent Road Closure 22nd September
Dear Members
A road closure was planned for 22nd September on Lansdown Crescent for construction purposes.
The Highways planned closure would, however, result in traffic diverting around Upper Lansdown Mews, which we believe to be dangerous given how narrow the mews is and how unsuitable it is for two way rush hour traffic.
We have alerted our Councillors and I have contacted the Highways Officer to try to widen the closure and effectively stop any traffic cutting through the area using the mews as the diversionary route. I will keep you informed on our progress.
Best Wishes
Rachael Hushon
Chair Lansdown Crescent Association
See Ewe!
Our friendly rams, Bill and Ben, and their pals, have returned to Kelston to get ready for the new season. They have been replaced by 12 recently-weaned ewes who are decidedly noisy! Enjoy the rural chorus.
LCA AGM 2020 Minutes
Dear LCA Members,
Thank you to those who were able to attend the AGM 2020 last week and to those who nominated proxy votes.
Here are the minutes for the LCA AGM 2020.
Please note that these minutes contain only a summary table of the Low Traffic Neighbourhood Vote, and any member who wants to see the full breakdown, including proxy nominations, should contact the Secretary - Email
LCA AGM 2020 Low Traffic Neighbourhood Vote
Dear Members,
We have the result of last night's vote taken at our AGM. (The minutes to follow on and be ratified)
The motion was:
“ I support the principle of a low traffic neighbourhood for the Lansdown Crescent area (including the protection of Upper Lansdown Mews) and support the LCA Committee in progressing the resident consultation process with BaNES”
Over 87% of the votes which could be counted (74 out of a total of 84) voted yes. This is the number we use to carry the motion.
Some residents sent proxy votes in too late (according to our constitution) so unfortunately we were not able to count those, however we have chosen to show you these votes to be fully transparent. If they had been included we would have had 100 votes cast with 89% voting yes.
The Committee would like to thank everyone for becoming involved in this, we will now start the process of requesting consultation, this will take a long time we are sure, but we have to start somewhere!
Please be assured that we took on board all of the comments made last night, we will keep our web site up to date with any progress and at each stage we will hold consultation events either in person or via zoom. Or if you simply want an update from the committee just email (contact details are on our web site)
Many Thanks
The Lansdown Crescent Association Committee
The breakdown of the overall result was as follows:
