A significant investment is being made into the Scholars’ Way scheme to improve walking and cycling routes across the south of Bath.

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority has confirmed an investment of nearly £3 million into the Scholars’ Way scheme, aimed at enhancing walking and cycling connections across the south of Bath. This funding builds on the £2.4 million already committed by Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) Council.

The project aims to better connect schools and residential areas in the city. In total, the scheme will install one mile of walking and cycling improvements, four new and two improved crossings, in addition to four new or improved bus stops.

Pictured: the in progress western section of the Scholars’ Way scheme (B&NES Council, 2025)

The western section, funded by B&NES Council, will link Combe Down Primary School & St Martin’s Garden Primary School, via Mulberry Park, parallel with Bradford Road. Work on the western section commenced in mid-July and is expected to finish in early 2026.

The eastern section development was outlined in the original Scholars’ Way proposal and was consulted on in 2021 and 2022 followed by an Outline Business case. The work was previously dependent on the availability of funding but this has now been secured by the regional combined authority and B&NES. These works are expected to commence in 2026.

Helen Godwin, the Mayor of the West of England, said: “We all want better, safer walking, wheeling and cycling routes for people’s everyday journeys. Working together with the local council, that is what the Scholars’ Way project will deliver with our joint investment here in the south of Bath.

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“Getting the basics right now by improving our walking and cycling infrastructure, and fixing our roads and bridges, will lay the foundations for a better transport system overall for our part of the world. We secured £752 million for that next stage in the Spending Review. That means that the West can get out of the slow lane on transport and start to catch up with other city-regions. That’s about active travel, as well as better buses, more trains, and mass transit.”

Scholars’ Way is part-being funded by the UK government as part of the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, secured by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.

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