A LARGE number of non-local drivers are still travelling needlessly through Leighton town centre because high-tech navigational aids haven't been updated to recognise that the new Linslade bypass exists.
It appears the new bypass is still not included in route guidance by Sat Nav devices or RAC and AA routeplanner systems.
Traffic from all over the country aiming for a destination near Leighton is still being sent through the town and along the ol
d A4146 through Stoke Hammond. Motorists without local knowledge are none the wiser to the bypass's existence and blissfully follow their travel plans trusting they are the most sensible directions. Few drivers are likely to overrule their navigational aids and follow road signs inconsistent with their map. And the new road doesn't even feature on Google Maps.
Technophobes amongst us probably don't realise that Sav Navs should be updated at least once a year with a new street map downloaded from the Internet.
Bucks County Council's John Killip said: "There is no statutory obligation to inform commercial companies who run sat navs about new roads, but they do usually get their information from the Ordnance Survey.
"We do tell OS about road changes.
"Again, there's no statutory obligation to inform the RAC and the AA, but they tend to get their information I think from the Department for Transport. And we are obliged by law to inform the DfT of road changes – infact, we need their permission as do all county councils in the country.
"Technology is a slightly grey area because Sat Nav and these route planner websites are emerging and maybe it's an area that we need to discuss as a local authority.
"Individuals can also inform the RAC or AA about routes which they think can be improved upon and indeed, it's motorists themselves who can be the most useful sources of information."
The LBO also contacted TeleAtlas who is responsible for supplying Tom Tom Sat Nav devices with maps, the AA and RAC but none replied. Hopefully with the information we supplied, the new A4146 will now be recognised.
However, for those who prefer a good, old fashioned paper map, the Ordnance Survey has just published its OS Travel Map - Route 2008.
The newly revised map is big enough to show the entire British road network on just one double-sided sheet and folds small enough to fit into your car's glove compartment – and the new A4146 bypass is included.
n Bedfordshire County Council has been stopping traffic on all the major roads in and out of Leighton Buzzard over the last two weeks as part of a traffic movement census.
The current traffic census work has been commissioned by a joint committee between Bedfordshire County Council and Luton Borough Council.
