CONTROVERSIAL plans to reconfigure Backwell Crossroads to create a new bus lane have been put on hold – for now.

North Somerset Council has announced it is to pause plans for the busy crossroads to allow further consultation on the proposals.

The move comes at the same time as the authority has announced it is to put a temporary halt to all planned bus lane schemes –pioneered as part of its Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) – until November.

The Backwell scheme involved transforming the current four arm junction at the crossroads into a three arm junction.

The change would see people still able to travel up Dark Lane, but unable to access the A370 at the crossroads on their return.

Instead traffic would be diverted along Church Lane to re-join the A370 further up in the village.

A new bus lane would be created on the westbound carriageway of the busy commuter route.

The council also wants to relocate some bus stops along the A370 and create a ‘transport hub’ with new cycle parking and seating at Rodney Road.

A mini transport hub could also be installed at Backwell Leisure Centre, along with electric charging stations and new crossings.

Council highways say the Backwell junction crossroads is already at capacity and used by an average of 13,000 vehicles a day, including the X1 and X8 bus services.

They added that with more homes planned for the area, traffic passing through Backwell is likely to increase.

Officials say the changes will reduce traffic congestion at the junction, allowing buses to travel more freely along the A370 – and get more people using public transport.

It seems however that the Backwell Crossroads scheme is not the only one being put temporarily on the back burner.

Other schemes – including ones in Clevedon and Congresbury – now look likely to be put on hold.

The authority is now asking the Department for Transport for an extension to the timeline set for delivering the schemes to ‘further review the proposals.’

A council spokesperson said: “Our Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) involves a whole range of measures to create a bus network that is attractive and financially sustainable for the people of North Somerset.

“We want to avoid a return to the bus problems of 2022 that saw significant cuts to local bus services – by getting bus use back to what it was before the pandemic, then getting more people onboard.

“Any single large infrastructure scheme would bring with it some disruption during its construction.

“We have been working at pace to develop, design and deliver a large programme of schemes within tight Government delivery timescales.

“We are asking the Department for Transport (DfT) for an extension to allow us to review the proposals for remaining schemes, plan further works over a longer period and reduce disruption as far as possible.

“By not starting any new BSIP bus priority works before November 2024, we will have more time to listen and reflect, and be able to minimise disruption on our road network, and to our communities.

“We will continue to engage with communities and their representatives about the range of proposed schemes, and complete further testing and surveys, so we can consider all information available to us during scheme development and design processes.

“That might mean moving forward with the original proposal, revising a concept design, identifying alternative measures or not progressing with schemes that don't deliver the intended benefits.”