A PROJECT to install CCTV cameras on a busy stretch of the Bristol and Bath Railway Path will go ahead after winning funding.
The West of England Combined Authority will spend more than £450,000 to fund cameras between Staple Hill tunnel and the old Mangotsfield railway station, and improve the path at nine “pinch points” between Siston Common and Warmley station.
South Gloucestershire Council first unveiled plans to install 20 permanent CCTV cameras on the path in 2024 to help tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.
The funding means the scheme can now go ahead, although a start date has yet to be fixed.
WECA says the path is “one of the busiest traffic-free stretches in the country”, with more than 1,100 cyclists and pedestrians on average using it daily between Staple Hill and Warmley.
The ‘pinch points’, where bollards and narrow sections of pathway make it difficult for path users to pass and for some people to use the path at all, will be improved with a view to make it easier for disabled people those using “non-standard wheelers” to use the path.
A public consultation was held last year and the council has also spoken with Bristol Cycling Campaign and other groups.
Announcing the funding in February, Metro Mayor Helen Godwin said: “By improving lighting, safety and accessibility, we’re making it easier for people to choose sustainable travel options and to do so with confidence. This is especially important for women and girls, as we can feel more vulnerable using the path.”
The money is coming from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, £540 million of funding awarded to WECA by the government in 2022 to pay for improvements to the region’s travel and transport system.
The funding was announced days after police from the Staple Hill Neighbourhood Team carried out a one-day operation in January targeting illegal e-bikes and e‑scooters being ridden on the same stretch of path earmarked for CCTV.
Officers stopped people riding three illegally-modified bikes, that go above the legal speed limit of 15.5mph, have a battery of more than 250w or can operate with a throttle instead of the pedals, as well as two people riding privately-owned e-scooters on the path. The only e-scooters that can be used on public roads and paths are those in the region’s hire scheme.
A police spokesperson said the riders of the seized bikes and scooters were “given warnings and education”.
Anyone found re-offending may face prosecution in future.