New River Avon bridge to be built near Saltford

A new bridge is set to be built across the River Avon to help traffic access a water treatment plant.

At the moment lorries can only access the site, between Bristol and Bath near the village of Saltford, via the A4.

The new bridge will allow them to get there using the A431 but residents in Bitton objected saying it would bring more traffic through their village.

Wessex Water, which owns the plant, says the bridge is needed because of expansion plans.

Currently HGVs have to negotiate pinch points and height restrictions on High Street and Mead Lane, a route that is prone to flooding.

The utility company submitted plans for the new 400-metre access road to the A431 at Bitton and a new single-span bridge for use by its vehicles and walkers to cross the river.

Bitton Parish Council accused Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES) - which approved the application - of "riding roughshod over our residents" who it said would "bear the brunt of this shocking proposal".

Kingswood MP Chris Skidmore said he would oppose the scheme unless Bitton and Swineford residents got robust flood mitigation measures and comprehensive action to address the impact on traffic levels and road safety.

Cassie Perryman, one of 89 objectors, said in her comments: "It seems insane to send heavy plant traffic through a small village and past a primary school when there is no benefit to the village itself and traffic is already problematic."

Martine Kinsman said the scheme would be "disastrous" for Bitton, which already suffers from traffic "thundering" through the village.

But the Local Democracy Reporting Service, said there were 75 letters of support from people living on the other side of the river.

BANES planning officers, who were given the power to approve the application by delegated authority, said the proposal would see traffic redistributed across the local network.

They said a quarter of vehicles will continue to use the existing access and the impact on the A431 and A4174 will be negligible.

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