The organisers of the Bath Half Marathon, London Marathon Events (LME), have agreed to give greater consideration to the date of the city’s annual race following a campaign from an Independent councillor.
Cllr Gavin Heathcote (Independent, Peasedown) who is part of the Independents for B&NES Group on the council, has called for event organisers to ensure that the Bath Half Marathon no longer clashes with Mother’s Day and other key local events after spending two hours stuck in traffic after finishing work.
Speaking at a recent B&NES Council meeting at the Guildhall, Cllr Heathcote said:
“Being aware that the Bath Half marathon was taking place on 15th March, I made a conscious decision to avoid the city centre and London Road, anticipating inevitable closures. Instead, I attempted to travel via Toghill and past Bath Racecourse, only to discover that the racecourse had been designated as a parking facility for the marathon.
Traffic was extremely congested and once I had navigated this I continued towards Newbridge, only to find that every route was closed. I needed to cross the river in order to get home, yet this proved exceptionally difficult.
Roads were closed in all directions with no clear diversions in place. Traffic management appeared to be overseen by individuals with walkie talkies who had little to no understanding of how motorists could realistically navigate the closures.”
Following the meeting, Cllr Heathcote wrote to the Bath Half Marathon organisers to ask for greater consideration to be given in future years that such a clash would never happen again, and also for better diversion signage to be put in place.
In response, the organisers have agreed to consider both requests. In a statement this week they said:
“With regard to the event date, the Bath Half Marathon traditionally takes place on the same weekend each year. Mother’s Day, however, moves annually as it is linked to Lent and Easter. We fully appreciate that the coincidence of the two events this year caused disruption for some residents. This has been carefully considered for future planning, and we will look to avoid this overlap in future years. I can confirm that next year’s event is scheduled for Sunday 14 March 2027, while Mother’s Day falls a week earlier on Sunday 7 March 2027.
In relation to the traffic management arrangements and diversion signage, we acknowledge the concerns raised about the routing experienced when travelling towards Peasedown St John. The feedback regarding the potential for more efficient eastbound routing has been noted. London Marathon Events, who manage the traffic planning for the Bath Half, will be reviewing the diversion signage and routing as part of the planning process for the 2027 event. Improvements will be considered where necessary to ensure clearer guidance and to minimise congestion wherever possible.”
For more information about campaigns run by Independents for B&NES visit www.independentsforbanes.org.uk or email info@independentsforbanes.org.uk
