Have your say on Central Bedfordshire transport plan including A1 improvements, A1 - A6 link road, and busway extension
Central Bedfordshire Council is calling for people to have their say as it opens a consultation on its Local Transport Plan.
The plan covers four key themes: enabling people to live, happier, healthier lives; helping businesses and communities to thrive and prosper; making transport safer and more equitable for everyone; preserving and enhancing Central Bedfordshire's "special natural and built environment".
The council says it hopes to “create more attractive streets and vibrant communities and improve our residents’ physical and mental health and reduce social isolation” – enabling people to live “happier, healthier lives”.
The consultation states: "[We aim to] provide existing and future communities and businesses the effective access they need while also helping to realise new sustainable growth opportunities – and supporting new technology where beneficial."
It adds the council will be: "...working to reduce the number and severity of casualties and collisions on our transport network and helping people to feel safer whilst travelling, alongside working to enable everyone to reach their destinations no matter who they are, or where they live.
"[We will be] considering the impacts of transport schemes, supporting and enhancing biodiversity, taking action to minimise transport related air and noise pollution, supporting the decarbonisation of the transport network, and working to adapt it to the effects of climate
change and extreme weather."
The plan includes commitments to deliver:
> a review of some existing policy documents and delivery of new policies and guidance – for example, guidance on delivery of mobility hubs
> a prioritised core programme of schemes (such as walking and cycling infrastructure, bus stop improvements and smaller road safety measures)
> major schemes and large projects (or contributions to them) where funding allows, for example a new road to the south-east of Arlesey, connecting Hitchin Road (to the south of Arlesey) to the A507/High Street Link Road in the north.
But the council says that many major schemes and large projects "go beyond what can be achieved" within its core funding – and may fall partly or fully outside its direct control.
Many of these are therefore in the “bigger aspirations” or fall under the “working with others” sections within the plan.
Major schemes in which Central Beds Council would play a key role include: a new road to the south-east of Arlesey; congestion hotspots; cross-country active travel routes; the development of an exemplar fagship community; and the extension of the Luton-Dunstable busway; improve effciency and mitigate carbon impacts; key corridor improvements; mobility hubs; M1 to A6 link road; Varsity Way improvements; A1 improvements; A5 diversion at Hocklife.
Schemes to be delivered by others include: Bedford to Milton Keynes Waterway Park; East-West Rail; M1 junction 13 improvements; railway station accessibility improvements; Sundon Rail Freight Interchange; Wixams railway station.
The Transport Act 2000 requires that all local transport authorities have a Local Transport Plan (LTP) – a document setting out the authority’s "long-term vision for transport and travel", including its policies for the promotion of "safe, integrated, efficient and economic transport” – and how it will implement those policies.
The document is available to read here and you have until September 20 to submit your thoughts.