Bath Hansford Square residents' parking plan a 'complete overreaction'

Residents claim any parking zone would be an "overreaction"

Plans to charge for on-street parking in part of Bath have been criticised as "scandalous and unnecessary" and a "complete overreaction". 

A letter from Combe Down councillor Bharat Pankhania said some Hansford Square residents and those on nearby roads wanted a parking zone.

Bath and North East Somerset Council said it was not needed as parking had "never been an issue" there before.

But nearby Entry Hill has been selected for a possible zone.

It could be one of 15 priority liveable neighbourhood schemes that will see the rollout of a range of measures such as traffic calming, a residents' parking zone (RPZ) and electric vehicle charging. 

The proposals include a map showing a possible RPZ between Wellsway and Bradford Road, stretching from Fox Hill in the east and past Hansford Road to Midford Road in the west. 

The consultation includes a map where people can "pin" comments to different locations - but it does not stretch as far as Fox Hill. 

Hansford Square resident Matt Conibere told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "There will be a lot of people who just aren't aware of the consequences of this.

"I think it's terribly undemocratic. I was shocked when I saw the vast swathe of land. 

"We're two miles outside the city. We don't have a parking problem.

"There's bags of parking. This is another attack on motorists. 

"My biggest concern is them trying to close Entry Hill [for a low traffic neighbourhood]. That will push traffic onto Wellsway and add to the congestion."