CAZ could cease to be in the limelight as election purdah approaches.

and a hidden threat to Camden could slip through – read on…

The CRA is non-political. This is a recording of an interview this morning between Bath Newseum’s Richard Wyatt and the Cabinet Member responsible for the CAZ, Bob Goodman.

He is asked a series of questions probing at whether the omission of all cars from CAZ charging was politically motivated in view of the forthcoming elections. He says it wasn’t. We can judge for ourselves.

He did say something similar to what we reported recently from the project team that if polluting cars did need to be made chargeable to get compliance in the first year this was still possible.

Finally he hinted at pedestrianising more of the city. Were this to happen we need to ensure that the traffic would not be displaced onto poor old Camden Road. Drivers coming to Bath need a viable alternative otherwise we will be turning Bath into a fortress.

The first instance of this threat will come much earlier. The type C CAZ means Queens Square will be less easy to drive through. Drivers currently using Queens Square will be highly tempted to use the next best alternative which is the highlighted red route in either direction. It connects north and south as well as east and west.

When Guinea Lane and London Road are congested Camden will definitely get the overspill traffic.

Now is a great time to lobby your local council candidates to put pressure on stopping this happening. You could offer to vote for them if, and only if, they agree to fight for our overused road.