Supermarket pays for direct bus route

Supermarket giant Sainsbury's is to plough nearly Pounds 500,000into improving a bus service operating near its planned new store onthe edge of Bath.

The firm was given planning permission in principle to develop a20,000 sq ft store on former school playing field land last month.

Once detailed planning permission has been given and a formalagreement has been signed between Bath and North East SomersetCouncil and the firm, the money will be spent on new buses and extraservices on the 20A/C route.

The council's public transport team conducted extensivediscussions with Sainbury's about the bus improvements needed toencourage more people to use public transport and reduce congestiononce the store is open. Council leader Councillor FrancineHaeberling (Con, Saltford) said: "Improving transport and relievingcongestion is one of the council's top priorities. The council mustbe forward-thinking in working with developers to explain whatsocial infrastructure improvements are required if a new facility isbuilt.

"In this case, our discussions with Sainsbury's have securedmajor public transport benefits and almost half a million poundsthat will improve the journey for passengers for a number of years.We would not have been able to improve the 20A/C service sosignificantly without this money."

Around Pounds 300,000 of the money will be spent on new low-floor buses for the 20A/C circular service, which is alreadyfinancially supported by the council and run by Wessex Connect, fromthis October.

The route also serves the Royal United and St Martin's hospitals,as well as Culverhay and Ralph Allen schools. Once the store hasopened, the other Pounds 180,000 of funding - which will be spreadover three years - will pay for an increase in the frequency of theservice to half hourly on the section of the route nearest the newstore, likely to be between Combe Down and Twerton.

Some opponents have questioned the ethics of such deals, but theyare covered by Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act andare aimed at getting developers to pay for the knock-on costs oftheir schemes.

The investment in the new buses has been welcomed by RUH securityand car parking manager Adam Jones.

He said: "Low-floor buses are incredibly helpful for elderly ordisabled patients accessing services at Royal United Hospital sothis improvement to the service is good news."

Building work on the new supermarket is likely to begin laterthis year, with the store scheduled to open next spring.

The store, which will be the city's fifth Sainsbury's branch,will be built on a six-acre plot of land between St Martin's PrimarySchool and Three Ways School, and have a 258-space car park.