Question 5
Public Rights of Way especially those for equestrians are key to the delivery of growth in Bedford Borough. Active Travel provision must therefore be embedded in new transport projects in the same way for all modes and should be adopted to provide continuity and improved connectivity of the network for all. Active Travel provision must therefore be embedded in new transport projects in the same way for all Active Travel Provision should be made for all modes of Active Travel including equestrians and no barriers should be created to prevent public routes being enjoyed by as many user groups as possible. Current projects often include safe provision for cyclists and pedestrians, but horse riders are excluded. Horse riders are often required to use the roads because the bridleway network is inadequate. Riders regularly have to use the roads to access PRoWs, and for some the road network may be the only access available to them. The creation of shared cycle / pedestrian or cycle paths on the carriageway or adjacent to the carriageway creates additional danger for equestrians. They are left sandwiched between fast moving traffic on their outside and then additional fast-moving cycle traffic on their inside – sometimes that cycle traffic is two directional. According to Bedford Borough Rights of Way Improvement Plan ‘…walkers, horse-riders, cyclists and horse carriage drivers highlighted that having to use roads can often reduce the enjoyment of the experience of being outdoors due to motorised traffic noise, pollution and spray. They can also feel anxious and pressurised when motorists feel they are inconveniently holding up traffic. These concerns are reinforced by the requests from equestrians and cyclists for more off-road routes. Where possible all new routes created will be to a multiuser status (such as Bridleways) where there are appropriate linkages of the same status.’
Is there sufficient water supply to provide enough water to service the new homes without restricting water to existing residents? Is there sufficient capacity on the sewage system to cope with more homes?
We cannot comment on priorities for infrastructure as they will depend on the final location strategy. However, we are concerned that the infrastructure necessary to provide sustainably for the water demand of additional development, and for the sustainable management of waste and surface water, has not been included in previous Local Plans. This issue becomes increasingly important with every increment in proposed growth in the borough and with the need to take into account the increasing climate change impacts on rainfall patterns in this already water stressed region.
Commitment to the Expressway and its associated development opportunities. Commitment to the East West Rail and its associated development opportunities.
The following priorities for East Northamptonshire Council should be noted: • Upgrades to the A6, particularly if new development is proposed at one or more of the potential new settlements (red option), or if new urban focused growth is to come forward as an extension to Rushden (brown option); • Delivery of a new rail station, either at Sharnbrook (red option) or Wymington (brown option); in addition consideration should be given to the opportunity for park and ride to serve the wider area; • Delivery of enhanced green infrastructure connections between the rural hinterland of the Borough and the local Rushden/ Souldrop green infrastructure corridor (North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy 2011-2031, Figure 17/ Policy 19).
It is difficult to respond in any detail to this question in the absence of the kind of document – an infrastructure delivery plan – to which the Consultation Paper refers on page 24. Broadly speaking, however, infrastructure could be divided into that which helps determine the amount and distribution of development, and that which follows once the amount and distribution has been decided. The first category includes the recent improvements to the A421, and the proposed East West rail link and the improvements to the A428. We think that the Council should make maximum use of the opportunities arising from the A421 corridor. This is consistent with what we say in response to question 4.
The statement about building infrastructure in from the beginning is obviously true, but it is an heroric assumption to believe that BBC has the capacity to do so. The plans for the Bedford train station will make traffic and associated infrastructure much worse. Physical infrastructure (roads etc) will be much easier if the A421 is both the location for development and the train route. Softer (but crucial) infrastructure (medical services etc) will continue to be under resources whatever the Plan may intend.
Improved transport links, especially public transport and cycle lanes. Adequate parking
Roads, sewers, water supply, internet, phone signal, telephone lines, electricity supply, gas supply, doctors, dentists, hairdressers, food shops, pharmacists, hospitals, car parking
Milton Keynes was built to offer more housing. Whatever the central government proposes it won't be in the best interests of Bedfordshire. When this railway arrives, it will be delivered with housing estates, destroying areas of countryside.
Growth should improve the quality of life and so segregated cycle paths, green space standards, quality housing layouts, adequate water resources & water treatment facilities and high quality employment rather than warehousing should be included. Renewable energy facilities should be provided and the move to electric vehicles supported. Housing & public buildings should be energy efficient and existing housing should be retrofitted to these standards. As more housing in the town centre is likely following the closure of retail units, it is important that these houses are converted to a high standard. Soft infrastructure e.g. doctor’s surgeries and sufficient hospital beds also needs to be put in place.
It is national policy to phase out the sale of internal combustion engine cars and vans by 2035 and generally reduce carbon dioxide emissions by, among other things, electrifying transport as much as possible and by encouraging efficient and sustainable public transport. We all need to bear this in mind from now on. The land adjacent to the station and the trackbed east to Cardington Road represent valuable strategic assets, worth far more in the longterm and in the light of national policy developments than the sale value of the land for housing. I am asking that this land should not be developed at the present time but should continue to be protected for future transport use.
- As regards roads themselves,the following should not go ahead: • The proposed Oxford - Cambridge Expressway will bring no benefit at all to Bedford .This new road would affect Green Belt areas,and will bring in more traffic which is already increasing with the significant housing growth in between these two towns • Prebend Street relief road • Dualling of the Bedford Western Bypass - The future developments earmarked for the lands around Ford End Road and south of the river surrounding Bedford St.John's Station should not go ahead since these lands were once railway property and any developments on these lands should be put to railway use rather than housing: • The lands of Ford End Road should be used as a second booking hall with extra parking and a bus turn around and walkway to Platform 4 of Bedford Midland. Hurst Grove should be made one way going north to Winifred Road. Lands are needed to straighten tracks between Danfoss and Bedford Midland for east-west rail access and ease pressure on Platform 1 of Bedford Midland. Better buses needed for Bedford Midland linking with Bus Station,and all Grant Palmer services should be redirected to include the railway station in their routes. • The old St John's Station site should be kept clear from development and a new cycle- cum- walkway from existing St John's Halt to Cardington Road should be implemented as a green corridor.The old route of the East-West railway to Cambridge should be used as a fall-back and re-evaluated should the proposed northern route from Bedford-Tempsford prove too expensive or problematic for other reasons. Furthermore,I would like to know how one can translate a unanimous support for reopening the Bedford-Northampton railway to policy and actions to get it moving along at one and the same time as other projects. • protection of routes/esp. north of Bromham and junctioning with flyover from slow lines of Midland Main Line • getting other councils on board including applications to the Reopenings Fund for a study to make the case and also look at new routes around Olney. Previous studies were apparently done for that rail route between 2001 and 2004 and showed a lot of potential on and off the rails.
The A6 coming from North Bedfordshire into Bedford is already completely overloaded in the morning at peak time with traffic queuing back at least 0.5 miles from the Sainsbury Roundabout along Paula Radcliffe Way and also extensively along Great Ouse Way. The latest proposals regarding road improvements to address this issue are wholly inadequate and far more radical solutions need to be considered, including a potential park and ride facility with a dedicated lane for the shuttle buses that would be required. The bus station and rail station need to be adjacent to each other to provide an integrated transport solution, facilitating optimum use of a Park and ride/shuttle bus facility. The arterial roads from Sharnbrook, passing through Odell and Harrold between the A6 and the A428, have existing congestion problems, particularly in Harrold where historical road widths and extensive roadside parking creates single lane passage. Further traffic is likely to be generated from the 2030 plan which will exacerbate an already unacceptable and challenging situation. With the growing volumes of traffic likely to emerge from the plan and years beyond, a more radical solution needs to be sought. Rail commuting has grown enormously over the past 25 years and because of the ease of getting to London this expansion will inevitably continue. Thameslink trains, the only ones available at peak hours have been extended to 12 carriages to accommodate this traffic growth. The car parks in the vicinity of the station are full by 8:30/8:45am on most working days, Monday to Friday, essentially resulting in any one arriving by car after that time not being able to use the train for their journey, and probably causing them to reconsider rail travel from Bedford in the future. The Council has been advised on two previous occasions, in response to earlier local plan consultations, of a solution that was implemented at Farnham Railway station in Surrey whereby the car park was extended to a multi-storey facility whilst still maintaining the use of the majority of the car park during the building process.
Improved medical and Out of Town retail facilities north of Bedford and in the absence of a Parkway/Park & ride facility in the A6 area, improved road and cycle facilities, including the possibility of extending the current dual carriageway.
Many extra people would be travelling by car to work, undertaking shopping trips to areas in the main employment, entertainment and shopping hubs such as Bedford or Milton Keynes. This is very undesirable for many reasons. The country is trying to lessen car travel, and therefore pollution, these proposals would do the exact opposite. Rat runs would develop along unsuitable country roads as people try to avoid traffic build up. Areas that are cycling routes and already dangerous, would be more so with the increase in extra traffic volume. Once these areas are lost to unsuitable or unsustainable mass building projects, they can never be recovered and will be lost forever to the huge detriment of our future generations.
Good transport links includeing Sensible Road Planning Services. I.E. Dr's, schools, recreational facilities, local shops need to be built at the same time as developent and inclusion of social clubs for use of all age groups.
Carry on im[roving the road systems as you are doing.
There is an overriding need for major improvements to highways infrastructure, public transport, footways and cycleways for current, let alone future needs. Improvements should take place in advance of any major development proposal. Improvements to health, education and recreation facilities, telecoms, water/sewerage/land drainage should also be planned for strategically and not piecemeal as and when planning applications are considered. The Review needs to reflect and act on changes in travel and work practices post-Covid 19 e.g. working from home, a reduced demand for office and retail space, reduced commuting and the need for very highspeed data links to residential properties.
A flourishing thriving town centre, not minus major retail outlets as at present. Improved public transport especially from rural areas into town. Use of Brownfields sites. Protect rural villages.
Schools There are no schools in the area. Children are transported by bus or private transport to other Bedfordshire villages and towns, e.g. secondary schools at Sandy and Sharnbrook, or children use schools in St. Neots, no plans to build secondary additional schools and Primary schools are oversubscribed. Medical facilities There are no doctors’ surgeries or pharmacies in the area. The nearest in Eaton Socon, Cambridgeshire is already totally overwhelmed with a 3 week wait for appointments, so many people travel to use acceptable facilities further afield in Great Staughton, Kimbolton Cambridgeshire using local roads through Hail Weston village.
The highways, footpaths and cycleways within the borough all require major investment.
Agreed response: The answer to this question was clearly set out in paragraph 12.11 of the Local Plan 2030. School, health and community facilities should be provided in areas approved for large residential developments prior to development taking place and for smaller developments, extensions to existing facilities or a reassessment take place prior to additional residential development taking place.
Establishment at an early stage of essential services such as Schools,medical practices, local community centres to include food. Green spaces, parks, park and ride An integrated rapid transport system for easy commuting to include all modes of transport. Cycle and bridle ways. Consideration of local provision of hub spaces to enable rural telecommuting, not necessarily at home, upgrades to existing facilities (village halls for example) or provision of new buildings or facilities, particularly where garden villages are concerned. For an example, see www.gamlingayecohub.org.uk this approach could be expanded to provide hotdesking facilities available to local residents to enable telecommuting for residents where home working is not possible due to space/family constraints. Support local businesses by lowering business rates.
Support for the potential proposal for Wymington rail station in association was reiterated, although it is unclear where this could be sited. Members highlighted the following additional strategic infrastructure priorities, also noting concerns about effective management of infrastructure delivery: o Rushden western bypass, to support strategic expansion to the south of the town, into Wymington Parish (Brown option) o Potential for further dualling/ increased capacity along Paula Radcliffe Way (A6) north to Sharnbrook/ Rushden
Agree infrastructure needs building from the start. The Borough must not allow developers, once Planning permission is granted, to water down their s.106 commitments through viability studies which we have seen significantly reduce the commitments given in the s106 agreements they negotiated with Borough planners prior to approval as we have seen in the past at the large developments around the Borough particularly at Great Denham and Cardington.
Infrastructure shapes our lives – it is the foundation upon which our economy is built. It vital that we are determined to deliver better infrastructure to grow the economy and improve opportunities for people across the country. Transport links get us where we need to be, energy systems power our homes and businesses, digital networks allow us to communicate and infrastructure supplies us with clean water / takes away our waste. It is vital to improving our quality of life and integral to the creation of vibrant new places to live and work. Suitable and appropriate infrastructure provisions have taken on an ever-increasing importance in the light of recent global COVID-19 Pandemic Depending on the growth location (see Question 4 and answer), appropriate transport and service infrastructure will be needed including new roads, dedicated and safer pedestrian and cycle routes, providing assistance for vulnerable road users, EV charging facilities, sustainable drainage systems, schools, doctors and dentist premises, convenience shopping facilities, sports and recreation facilities and community facilities. Suitable and appropriate employment uses commensurate with the scale of the growth option would be desirable.
Infrastructure shapes our lives – it is the foundation upon which our economy is built. It vital that we are determined to deliver better infrastructure to grow the economy and improve opportunities for people across the country. Transport links get us where we need to be, energy systems power our homes and businesses, digital networks allow us to communicate and infrastructure supplies us with clean water / takes away our waste. It is vital to improving our quality of life and integral to the creation of vibrant new places to live and work. Suitable and appropriate infrastructure provisions have taken on an ever-increasing importance in the light of recent global COVID-19 Pandemic Depending on the growth location (see Question 4 and answer), appropriate transport and service infrastructure will be needed including new roads, dedicated and safer pedestrian and cycle routes, providing assistance for vulnerable road users, EV charging facilities, sustainable drainage systems, schools, doctors and dentist premises, convenience shopping facilities, sports and recreation facilities and community facilities. Suitable and appropriate employment uses commensurate with the scale of the growth option would be desirable.
Infrastructure shapes our lives – it is the foundation upon which our economy is built. It vital that we are determined to deliver better infrastructure to grow the economy and improve opportunities for people across the country. Transport links get us where we need to be, energy systems power our homes and businesses, digital networks allow us to communicate and infrastructure supplies us with clean water / takes away our waste. It is vital to improving our quality of life and integral to the creation of vibrant new places to live and work. Suitable and appropriate infrastructure provisions have taken on an ever-increasing importance in the light of recent global COVID-19 Pandemic Depending on the growth location (see Question 4 and answer), appropriate transport and service infrastructure will be needed including new roads, dedicated and safer pedestrian and cycle routes, providing assistance for vulnerable road users, EV charging facilities, sustainable drainage systems, schools, doctors and dentist premises, convenience shopping facilities, sports and recreation facilities and community facilities. Suitable and appropriate employment uses commensurate with the scale of the growth option would be desirable.
Infrastructure shapes our lives – it is the foundation upon which our economy is built. It vital that we are determined to deliver better infrastructure to grow the economy and improve opportunities for people across the country. Transport links get us where we need to be, energy systems power our homes and businesses, digital networks allow us to communicate and infrastructure supplies us with clean water / takes away our waste. It is vital to improving our quality of life and integral to the creation of vibrant new places to live and work. Suitable and appropriate infrastructure provisions have taken on an ever-increasing importance in the light of recent global COVID-19 Pandemic Depending on the growth location (see Question 4 and answer), appropriate transport and service infrastructure will be needed including new roads, dedicated and safer pedestrian and cycle routes, providing assistance for vulnerable road users, EV charging facilities, sustainable drainage systems, schools, doctors and dentist premises, convenience shopping facilities, sports and recreation facilities and community facilities. Suitable and appropriate employment uses commensurate with the scale of the growth option would be desirable.