Families visiting Bath’s Royal Victoria Park are set to benefit from a package of improvements designed to make the park safer and easier to get around on foot, by bike, with pushchairs and for people with limited mobility.
Work is due to begin this autumn on upgraded pavements, new accessible crossing points, improved lighting and changes to cycling routes through the park. The scheme includes a new zebra crossing on Park Lane near the entrance to the park, as well as new raised crossing points across the cycle lane and southern carriageway.
The improvements are intended to make it easier for families and other visitors to move safely between different areas of the park, particularly when travelling with young children or during busy events.
Pavements will be resurfaced and new eco-sensitive heritage lighting installed to support safer year-round use. A segregated cycle lane will also be introduced along the park’s southern carriageway, continuing northwest towards Park Lane in the opposite direction to the existing one-way traffic system.
Bath & North East Somerset Council says the changes should reduce some of the existing conflict between pedestrians and cyclists, who currently share footpaths in parts of the park.
Councillor Lucy Hodge, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport Delivery, said, “Royal Victoria Park is one of Bath’s most treasured public spaces and these improvements will make it safer and more welcoming for everyone. For example, cyclists currently share footpaths with pedestrians in parts of the park, which is not ideal for either. This is about creating safer, fairer access to the park, however people choose or need to travel and whatever their age or ability.”
Parking will remain available within the park, with 177 spaces retained. Around 74 new short-stay spaces are also planned in Weston Road, where the first hour will be free, alongside existing short-stay parking in Park Lane, which is free for up to three hours.
Accessible parking close to key park facilities will also be increased.
The project forms part of the Bath Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Links programme, aimed at improving connections between Weston and Bath city centre as well as making Royal Victoria Park easier to access.
Work is expected to be completed by mid-March 2027, ahead of the Bath Half Marathon, with the council saying work will be planned carefully around major events.
Other improvements are also taking place in Royal Victoria Park. Restoration work is continuing on the park’s historic ponds, including work to restore a reliable water supply and create a better habitat for wildlife. Meanwhile, golf and footgolf will remain available at weekends during October while the council appoints a new long-term operator from November.
Further information about the Royal Victoria Park improvements is available at bathnes.gov.uk/BWWCL.
