A new two-way traffic system around Avon Street car park will go live this month in the latest major milestone for the Bath Quays Waterside flood mitigation scheme.

From Monday, 16th May, traffic currently using Green Park Road will be permanently diverted around the north of the Avon Street car park via Corn Street and the new road link that has been created through the Riverside Coach Park. Under the new system, Ambury will remain one-way, but with the existing buses-only restriction removed and a new exit onto Ambury from the Avon Street car park has also been created, to replace the current exit onto Green Park Road.

The entrance to the car park is unchanged and will remain on Corn Street.

The Riverside coach park will remain open, although it is now operating as a short-term parking facility only, with long-term coach parking available at the First Bus depot at Weston Island.

Although Green Park Road will be closed to motorised traffic, a route along it will be retained for pedestrians and cyclists for use at completion.

The Council says the new road layout will enable the adjacent river bank to be widened, providing greater river capacity for flood events, as part of the £6.22m B&NES Council and Environment Agency Bath Quays Waterside project. The project will reduce flood risk, reconnect the city centre to the riverside with a new Waterside Park, and allow Bath Quays to develop as a business hub.

The next phase of flood works will involve the excavation of the north river bank between Churchill Bridge and Green Park. It is anticipated that this first phase of flood works will be complete by the end of 2016, with the final phase to be completed in 2017/2018.