Six-month experiments to restrict traffic and “breathe new life” into fifteen neighbourhoods in Bath and North East Somerset are set to begin this year.

If signed off by Cabinet bosses next week, the Council will consult on the first tranche of low traffic neighbourhoods from September, draw up preliminary designs the following month and consult again from November.

Following equalities impact assessments they will be introduced using experimental traffic orders, allowing them to be tested in a “live” situation – giving six months for formal objections to be submitted.

Sustainable transport Manager, Nick Helps, told Councillors last week: “If a scheme was an absolute disaster you could, on day one, cancel it, but I think it’s best to wait, because these things will settle down.”

So far the Council has received 48 applications for liveable neighbourhoods, a key manifesto pledge of the Lib-Dem administration. The programme will see vehicle restrictions, traffic calming and residents’ parking zones used to reduce the dominance of vehicles in residential areas, although people will still be able to access their homes by car.

Low traffic neighbourhoods have proved controversial elsewhere. More than 10,000 people signed a petition objecting to the measures in the London borough of Ealing and in September, more than 2,000 residents took to the streets in protest.

Speaking last month, Mr Helps said there was “massive support” for liveable neighbourhoods, but acknowledged concerns about the impact on disabled and older people, those with young children and families on low incomes. He said officers will “seek to mitigate any adverse effects, working with communities”, adding that said schemes could use number plate recognition rather than bollards to control traffic flow, allowing ambulances, bin collections and disabled transport vehicles to pass freely.

The applications to B&NES Council have been prioritised based on factors including their complexity, the number of households in the area, the level of deprivation and the proximity to schools or Bath’s Clean Air Zone or an air quality management area.

The fourteen wards set to be prioritised are represented by eight of the nine cabinet members, with only Twerton’s Councillor Tim Ball not yet submitting an application.

The fifteen areas recommended to be included in the first phase of the low traffic neighbourhood rollout, are all in the city at the moment: Entry Hill, Mount Road (Roundhill Primary School), Chelsea Road, Southlands (Weston), Lyme Road and Charmouth Road (Newbridge Primary), Kingsmead and Lower Lansdown, including the Circus, Marlborough Buildings, RVP and Cork Street; Morris Lane/Bannerdown, London Road/Snowhill area, Great Pulteney Street, St John’s Road and New Sydney Place, Church Lane and Prior Park Road crossings and Oldfield Lane (St John’s Primary).

Deputy Council Leader Sarah Warren, the cabinet member for climate and sustainable travel, said: “Liveable neighbourhoods will breathe new life into residential areas by creating nicer spaces to socialise in, and increasing social interactions between neighbours.

“They are also an important part of our plan to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies by reducing car use for short trips, and will improve health and wellbeing across the area.

“The idea is to provide fairer access to residential neighbourhoods, creating healthier outdoor spaces for everyone to share, as well as vibrant local high streets where people want to spend time and money.

“Communities are really getting behind the idea and it’s great news we’ve received so many applications.”

Find out what the Conservative Group Leader, Vic Pritchard, had to say on the scheme on Page 5. The cabinet will meet to discuss the proposals on June 23rd.