Object

Representation ID: 9858

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: CPRE Bedfordshire

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

CPRE Bedfordshire consider that the Local Plan is not sound (not ‘Justified’ or Effective’) in terms of the Vision Themes in para 2.2 because there are serious gaps and weaknesses in the Themes that need to be addressed.

Theme 1: Greener – Working towards making Bedford a net zero carbon emissions
borough whilst improving, enhancing and creating green infrastructure and spaces

CPRE Bedfordshire commented in response to the Local Plan consultation of 2021 that
we would like to see the plan go beyond general statements of intention to work
towards making Bedford a carbon neutral borough and build in some stronger and more
specific targets in support of this objective. This has not been addressed.

Theme 2: More accessible – Encouraging sustainable travel as well as taking the opportunities offered by strategic infrastructure for greater regional and national connectivity.

Cycling

CPRE Bedfordshire believe that the Local Plan does not do enough to encourage cycling through the development of a comprehensive network of safe cycle routes.

There is a complete absence of any detailed recognition of the need for a sustainable network of safe segregated cycle routes across the Borough - e.g. North South linking the Wixams (bridging the A421) to Milton Ernest through the centre of Bedford.

There is also no mention of a safe segregated cycle route to Bedford Station - it is deeply
unsatisfactory that the there is still no segregated cycle route to Bedford station from any direction.

Cycling is the way forward at a time of Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss - it will significantly improve the health and wellbeing of residents but people do not trust lines on a highway – they do not feel safe.

The Council needs to take the bull by the horns, dismiss the gainsayers and move forward at pace with plans for an integrated, safe, segregated network of cycle routes across the Borough, moving the priority away from cars. Our neighbouring cities of Oxford, Cambridge and Milton Keynes are showing the way forward and BBC should move swiftly into the modern era.

Rail

It is deeply unsatisfactory that BBC has recently introduced an updated Rail Strategy without any public consultation and without it being discussed and agreed at a Full Council Meeting where councillors of all political parties are in attendance, members of the general public and the media. Like the Council’s previous submission to the East West Rail consultation, secrecy seems to have been the motivation.

The latest version of the Rail Strategy, is a major update and in view of the considerable concern regarding the impact of East West Rail on our Borough, this document should have followed an open democratic process.

In choosing to support a northern route for East West Rail in Bedford Borough the Council has made a serious error in influencing the direction of the project in a way that will increase noise and air pollution in the town centre and result in substantial negative environmental impacts in an area of quiet countryside and rural communities in the north of the Borough.

The opportunity to reconsider the route choice and to switch attention from the currently proposed northern route in Bedford to a southern route following the A421 transport corridor, is currently threatened by progress on the development of a new station at Wixams.

As far as we understand the location of this station has been identified with other priorities in mind and would be unable to operate as an EWR station interchange with Midland Main Line and Thameslink.

CPRE Bedfordshire urges EWR Co to intervene in this development and ask for the project to be paused so that alternatives could be considered which would serve the needs of EWR as well as residents of Wixams.

CPRE Bedfordshire strongly supports EWR in principle and would like to see the new railway being progressed and delivered, but only if these major concerns are addressed and EWR Co changes course to focus on a more environmentally alternative route.

Theme 4: Better places – Developing high quality, well-designed and beautiful places for all to use and enjoy

As stated with reference to our comments on the Local Plan Vision paragraph 2.1 the Local Plan is not sound (not ‘Justified’ or Effective’) because it builds in levels of housing growth which by its own admission are excessive and unsustainable.

CPRE Bedfordshire’s full response to the Submission Draft can be found at;
http://www.cprebeds.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2022/07/Submission-version-reponse-LP-2040-July-22-Final.pdf