Local Plan 2040 Draft Plan - Strategy options and draft policies consultation

Object

Representation ID: 4776

Received: 01/09/2021

Respondent: Thurleigh Parish Council

Thurleigh Parish Council’s preference is for development alongside the A421 corridor as they already have the appropriate transport links between the A1 & M1 which also fits in with the Cambs/Oxford arc proposals.
The Parish Council supports option 2a which allows for road & rail infrastructure, and also allows growth with limited impact to Thurleigh and North Beds generally.
Should the Borough Council decide on options 2b-d with one/two new settlements then the Parish Council has concerns that Thurleigh would be used as an even bigger rat run than it currently is between the A6 and A1.
Following the recent adoption of the Thurleigh NDP one of the biggest concerns residents had was traffic, both volume and speed, and any new settlement will simply increase both.
It is noted that AECOM Bedford Borough Transport Model New Settlement West of Wyboston document point 2.5.2 mentions
A6-A1 Link Improvements to the route from the A6 to Eaton Socon through Thurleigh and Bolnhurst
However table 2.6 showing the proposed mitigations do not cover Bolnhurst and advise that only the junction of Milton Road/Mill Hill and Mill Road should be amended. What they fail to take into account is that if cars travel that way- we assume to the A421 and onwards towards Black Cat- they can’t access the A421 junction through Renhold due to traffic regulations between 7.30am and 9.30am and 3.30pm to we believe 5.30pm when through traffic is not permitted. This would mean travelling into Bedford, along Wentworth Drive and Norse Road to joining the St Neots Road to the A421 junction thus adding far more milage and time to the journey. They will simply travel, as they do now, through Thurleigh, Bolnhurst and onto Wyboston/Eaton Socon across country.
At present there is no road infrastructure in place to cope with traffic between the A1/A6, and as the Borough Council are aware our roads are already under pressure with no sign of long-term remedial action.
Should the Borough Council be minded implementing any of the options 2b-2d in the Local Plan 2040 Thurleigh would like to see documented within the plan the following mitigations
1. A by-pass of Thurleigh, and if that is not possible the following two mitigations
2. Average Speed cameras installed on the High Street and at Cross End
3. ANPR cameras installed to stop transporter lorries from accessing the village as a cut through from/to the A1/A6