Bath and North East Somerset Council is facing pressure to limit a controversial new bus lane on Bath's Dorchester Street to a maximum six-month trial period.
The experimental bus lane will be installed running eastbound on January 20, and will operate between 10am and 6pm seven days a week for an 18 month experimental period.
However conservative councillors want the experimental period to be reduced to six months, followed by a review of the success of the bus lane.
They also want the matter to come back to a council meeting for further debate before a final decision is made on whether to make it permanent.
Conservative shadow transport spokesman, councillor Anthony Clarke (Cons, Lansdown), said: "The failure to properly engage with residents over these plans means most people have no idea what the Lib Dems are hoping to achieve by implementing this new bus gate.
"Genuine concerns over the additional traffic this will push onto the A36 and North Parade have also been totally ignored by the council.
"These kinds of isolated road schemes, which are not part of a wider transport vision for the city, do nothing to address Bath's traffic problems and only make matters worse.
"Conservatives are therefore calling on B&NES to limit this experimental bus lane to a maximum six-month trial period, and to pause the trial before work starts on the Rossiter Road alterations.
"If the Lib Dems plough on regardless, residents will simply conclude the council has no interest in cutting congestion and is simply hoping to raise extra money in future through more bus gate fines."
Councillor Brian Webber (Cons, Abbey) said many people are concerned about the plans.
He said: "Many residents in my ward are concerned about the potential impact of this new bus gate.
"The council should publish a set of measurable criteria against which the success of the bus gate can be judged before allowing councillors and the public to decide whether or not it should become permanent."
Prospective Conservative Parliamentary Candidate Ben Howlett said: "Bath residents are fed up with this council's piecemeal approach to transport planning.
"A series of small changes across the City have resulted in the transport system grinding to a halt.
"I look forward to working with the Conservative council group as they look to create a strategy for the next 30 years, once and for all sorting out Bath's stalling transport system."
Council cabinet member for transport Councillor Caroline Roberts (Lib Dem, Newbridge) said: "There are a number of potential benefits to the environment of the city centre by introducing this measure. People on foot and on bike should be able to cross the road with ease from our major transport interchanges towards the city centre and vice-versa.
"Buses should also be able to reach their destination quicker moving through Dorchester Street and towards Manvers Street in moments. Overall, the council wants to make this location a more pleasant environment for the people using it and will be closely monitoring the scheme during the experimental period as well as listening to people's views about the scheme."
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