Calls to remove liveable neighbourhood road

Hundreds of people are calling for a road to be reopened to traffic after damage to a nearby tunnel caused further disruption on a major route.

More than 860 people have signed a petition demanding motorists be able to use Sydney Road in Bath, which was closed to traffic in 2024 as part of the city's liveable neighbourhoods scheme.

The petitioners say a single-lane closure on the alternative A36 Beckford Road, after contractors accidentally broke through the roof of a canal tunnel, has meant long queues.

A Bath and North East Somerset Council spokesperson said safety was its "priority" and engineers were closely monitoring the bridge, but the lane and bridge closure would continue.

Sydney Road was previously used as a shortcut from the A36 at Beckford Road and around Sydney Gardens, until bollards were placed at the end of the road.

People living on the road say it is better for cyclists and pedestrians, but Beckford Road residents say it has pushed all the traffic past them.

Petition organiser Kay Martin said stopping traffic had caused "significant disruption and frustration".

She said people using the A36 into and out of the city had been further impacted by the 200-year-old tunnel roof being damaged by contractors building a shared-path and the subsequent lane closure.

Martin said she was concerned about longer journeys, increased pollution from idling vehicles and delays for emergency services.

"Reopening Sydney Road is not just a matter of convenience, but a necessity," she said.

The Kennet and Avon Canal and towpath have also been closed.

Keith, of Bath Narrowboats, said boaters could face months of disruption and backed calls to reopen Sydney Road.

He said it was the time of year when river boaters moved onto the canal to avoid flooding.

"In the next couple of weeks it's all going to kick off because all those boats on the river are coming up and they've got nowhere to go," he said.

"If they opened that, they would not have a queue of traffic miles back."

He also raised concerns about heavy lorries continuing to cross the affected structure.

A Bath and North East Somerset Council spokesperson confirmed the eastbound lane closure on Beckford Road would continue, alongside the closure of the canal and towpath at the north end of Sydney Gardens.

The BBC has contacted the council about the petition.

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