Object

Representation ID: 9866

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: CPRE Bedfordshire

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? Not specified

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

Transport
Cycling
21. There remains 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.
22. 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.
23. 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.
24. 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 Travel - “A Rail Strategy for Bedford” May 2022
25. It is deeply unsatisfactory that BBC has 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.
26. This paper is a major update of the previous Rail Strategy 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.

Rail Travel - Proposed site of new Wixams Station reduces East West Rail route options
27. 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.
28. 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.
29. 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.
30. 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.
(CPRE Bedfordshire has also made these comment to the current Wixams New Station Consultation.)