Walking & Cycling Route Inprovements

Bedfordshire Highways (Amey),  supplied to Biggleswade Town Council  details & drawings of planned walking and cycling route improvements for Shortmead Street. Plans for sites 11,15 and 16 are not complete. 

For details of the scheme see below.

 

These details were considered at Biggleswade Town Council meeting of 24th September 2013

 

From the draft minutes.

 

Public Open Session:

 

Member of Public 1 - raised with Town Council that residents of Ivel Gardens had no knowledge of the proposed Walking Route Improvement  - Shortmead Street, Biggleswade; they felt that no consideration had been given to the measures that were proposed for Ivel Gardens, they would if  implemented restrict traffic flow.

 

Member of Public 2- asked if Town Council had been consulted on the proposals and had the proposals been adopted.

 

Coucillor Mrs M Russell informed members of the public that the Town Council had not been consulted and that the proposals had come to light at a meeting on the 18th September 2013 with Councillor Maurice Jones; Councillor Jones was trying to stop the proposed works to Ivel Gardens.

 

Members raised the following concerns:

 

Ivel Gardens; there is already a crossing with a dropped kerb and tactile paving at the end of the footpath along the Vicarage wall. With the wide vision splay each side, it is perfectly safe for pedestrians. There have been no incidents with pedestrians or vehicles at the entrance to Ivel Gardens for at least 30 years. Current width of road paramount in allowing vehicles of varying size to enter the road - narrowing the entrance will force vehicles onto oncoming traffic. There are over 100 cars belonging to Ivel Gardens residents. There are 30/40 cars arriving daily to park in Ivel Gardens (people who work in the town because there is a shortage of parking). The Kingdom Hall car park holds 60 cars. The Parish Church car park holds 40 cars. Minibuses regularly enter Ivel Gardens with elderly and disabled going to the Church. At busy times, it is very difficult to exit Ivel Gardens - with the wider mouth, it is at least possible for vehicles to turn left even when a vehicle is having difficulty turning right. Large vehicles, e.g. refuse vehicles will mount the pavement as they turn into Ivel Gardens. Other points; it would be ridiculous to do any work now with the KIngdom Hall being rebuilt - a major building site for the next year.

 

Walking cannot be encouraged at the expense of everything else.

 

Pedestrian safety would be better served by a further zebra crossing between Brunt's Lane and the Methodist Church.

 

The Biggleswade Masterplan has a policy of removing bollards - Town Council don't want bollards put in, as have been added to the crossing to the south of the Sun Street / Shortmead Street junction.

 

The whole project is a waste of Tax Payers money - the Town Council should have been consulted if there is money available to spend on encouraging walking and making walking safer. Town Council could have made several suggestions which would have been more useful to the town.

 

No studies have been carried out to identify the need for these proposals.

 

Biggleswade Central Bedfordshire Councillors have also raised concerns directly on this project and are also unhappy  with the proposals.

 

Members RESOLVED that this project is stopped immediately, the areas of work that have already taken place remain, works underway on specific site are finished and no further works are started. Councillor Albone abstained from this vote.

 

The Town Council would like a complete review of the scheme carried out in consultation with the Town Council in order that the Town Council can put forward alternative suggestions and possible routes.