Politicians have voted to plough on with a £60 million drive to tackle congestion in Bath despite public outcry over the scheme, part of which will slice though city centre residents' back gardens.

Opposition Liberal Democrats had attempted to put the brakes on the huge traffic-busting scheme, which includes spending some £16 million on a segregated bus lane that will slice straight though private gardens.

At a stormy meeting, they accused the council's ruling Tory cabinet of turning a deaf ear to public concerns over the scheme.

Angry residents opposed to the 'Bus Rapid Transit' project staged a protest before a meeting of Bath and North East Somerset Council.

They say the route will be an environmentally-damaging waste of money. As it will cut across gardens and run very close to homes, home-owners believe it will devalue their houses and amount to a loss of privacy.

Sue Greco, 62, of Newbridge Road, said: "My garden is right at the bottom of where they propose to put the bus lane. I don't want the noise or the pollution that will come with this.

"I am definitely against this – we have used the lane to walk the dogs and take our grandchildren out. I have lived here for 35 years.

"My house will be devalued because of this and they do not care.

"The council need to listen to us about this but they don't and won't."

But Conservatives, Labour and independent councillors teamed up to vote down a move by the Liberal Democrats to get an independent review of the plans.

Instead, the council voted to "engage with residents" and crack on with the package, which also includes contentious plans for a new park and ride site at Bathampton.

The Response2Route pressure group handed over a 2,000-signature petition to B&NES.

During the council meeting, an overspill room had to be opened to accommodate the protesters.

The growing divide between the biggest parties at the Guildhall intensified amid claim and counter-claim about exactly how the route had been first approved.

Tories accuse the opposition of going back on initial support for the principle of the BRT, which appeared in a planning blueprint to which all parties signed up two years ago.

The Liberal Democrats say the plan has changed since then, and that walkers and cyclists would be marginalised by the latest scheme.

The cabinet has warned any changes to the package would risk the city losing £54 million of Government funding to sort out Bath's traffic nightmares.

Deputy council leader Cllr Malcolm Hanney said that if Bath's transport issues were not addressed, the city's economic growth could be stifled.

Tories say plans for the BRT route have already been reviewed by independent experts who concluded that creating a segregated section on a former railway line, which is now a popular recreation area, would be more cost-effective than using existing roads.

Conservative politician Cllr Richard Maybury said: "After years of congestion, these plans are a big step forward in keeping Bath moving.

"The new and expanded park and rides will take thousands of extra cars off Bath's roads and the improved bus routes will benefit thousands of transport users across the region. It's just a shame that cross-party support for this scheme has broken down."

Opposition councillor Andrew Furse, who led the move to get the BRT route reviewed, accused Tories of "quibbling".

"We are still not convinced that all the alternatives have been properly looked at and that there has been real and meaningful consultation."

Cllr Caroline Roberts, who represents people most affected by the route, said the BRT and the expansion of Newbridge Park and Ride would affect up to 1,000 people's homes in one way or another.

"We have counted the numbers and there are up to 1,000 residents who will be affected by the new road outside their houses, or the extension to the Newbridge Park and Ride."

● Council chiefs in Bath have put together a new map showing the impact of its transport plans on the city.

The map is viewable at www.bathnes.gov.uk/stopgridlock.