Two long-awaited pedestrian crossings to be installed in Leighton Buzzard

Plans to provide controlled crossings on Grovebury Road and Billington Road was presented to a Central Bedfordshire Council traffic management meeting.

Both crossings feature on the local cycling and walking infrastructure plan (LCWIP) for the town and serve as connections on the Leighton-Linslade Green Wheel.

The Grovebury Road crossing is an important desire line to the nearby retail park, and links to the route across the Collins Aerospace meadows to the Grand Union towpath and across the ‘Green Bridge’ into Tiddenfoot Waterside Park, according to a report to the meeting.

The Billington Road crossing is an important desire line to the Shell Service Station and convenience store, a McDonalds restaurant and a private gym at the southern end of the road, said the report.

“CBC’s highways contractor was commissioned to provide suitable designs for both controlled crossings, which are due for completion around now.

“A controlled crossing of Billington Road was approved in February 2015, along with a reduction in the speed limit on this road from 40mph to 30mph. The speed limit was implemented, but the Toucan crossing element of the scheme wasn’t progressed.

“The funding for both schemes is provided by Section 106 developer contributions secured from projects to the south of Leighton Buzzard for improvements to the local highway network.

“It also upgrades connections from the various development parcels to the town centre, the retail park, local schools and the railway station. The Billington Road crossing is scheduled for this autumn, while the Grovebury Road one is due to be installed in the Spring or next summer.”

A resident wrote in support of the Grovebury Road plans and asked for “more controlled crossings on this busy arterial road”, added the report.

“There were six objections to the Billington Road scheme, saying the crossing would result in a loss of mature trees and a section of hedgerow, creating noise and visual intrusion for Collec House and properties in Bittern Mead.

“These respondents also suggested the extra footfall generated could result in anti-social behaviour, such as littering, and that speeds on Billington Road frequently exceed the limit posing a risk to pedestrians using the crossing.”

The report explained: “This doesn’t require any changes to the hedgerow, and the local authority has seen levels of anti-social behaviour reduce as usage of paths increases.”

Liberal Democrat Leighton Linslade South councillor Chris Leaman told the meeting: “Councillors across Leighton Buzzard are supportive of these crossings.

“Billington Road is something around which people have been lobbying for many years and the Green Wheel has received huge support from the whole community,” he said. “I’m keen to see these implemented as soon as possible.”

Executive member for highways and Independent Aspley and Woburn councillor John Baker, who chairs the meeting, approved the proposals as set out.