Message from Persimmon

A message from Persimmon's Martin Wright to the parish council  is copied in below. Personally I think we need more transparency on this and a clear idea of the possibilities. At present there are no further reports of unpleasant lorry driving in Lodge Road/Court Road. Hopefully the fuss we made and the action of the SNT and Pc Glen has sorted that out.

I updated the parties on the proposed programme during the stakeholder

meeting where a number of parish councillors attend and take notes. We will
likely be on-site during April starting the house construction works. The
works to the off-site ponds has nearly finished and the Lodge Road works are
well under way.


With regards to the matters with Dennison. I stressed at the Stakeholders
meeting that our legal and financial relationship with Dennison is
confidential. Once we meet the necessary plot trigger that will see us need
to deliver facilities on the Dennison land, then we will have to address
this accordingly. 






Martin Wright

Lodge Road closure

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Central Bedfordshire Council have made an Order the effect of which will be to prohibit any vehicle, except a vehicle being used for fire, police or ambulance purposes in an emergency, from proceeding along the full length of Lodge Road, Cranfield. 

This temporary closure is required to enable surfacing works to take place and shall apply to such extent as may from time to time be indicated by the appropriate traffic signs. Where possible access will be maintained to property and premises but may be restricted from time to time according to local signing.

It is expected that the works will take place during ONE WEEK commencing Monday 4 April 2011.  Closure times are 7.30am to 6.00pm.

The alternative routes available for vehicles affected by the Order are:-

Proceed on Court Road in a northerly direction to junction with High Street.  Turn left and continue to junction with Lodge Road and vice versa.

The Order will come into operation on 4 April 2011 for a period of four months or until the proposed works have been completed, as detailed above, whichever is the earlier. 

Spring is here

Cycling in blue shorts has now commenced and black leggings put away until November. Good news, obviously,  for the the Dame of Court Road and her poussie dawg.

Persimmon email

Email to Persimmon sent on 14 March

At the February meeting of the Planning Committee, Members asked that I
write to you to request that you clarify the position with regards to the
'Dennison' land.  PCllr Sue Clark reported upon her conversation with you in
this regard, however I would be grateful if you could now confirm in
writing,  details of the negotiations relating to the this Land; including
commitment with regard to the community land; where the Company is with
regard to its intentions for purchase of the whole of the Dennison land and
the effect that retention of the land by Dennison will have on the overall
design. 

Finally, Members have asked if you would be kind enough to inform residents
of the date of future commencement of works.

footpath repairs

This is from the latest Central Beds customer service bulletin.

Dear Sir/Madam ,    I have several issues of which I should like to take this oppurtunity to bring to your attention     with regards MILLARDS CLOSE , CRANFIELD , BEDFORD both for myself on behalf of my neighbours.   

1)Firstly , recently the footpaths were resurfaced in December 2010, but for some unexplained reason the paths outside the following properties DID NOT get theirpaths done:   

15 Millards Close   

17 Millards Close   

19 Millards Close   

21 Millards Close

23 Millards Close   

25 Millards Close   

ALL the other adjacent Bungalows and houses had there old paths outside their properies resurfaced but not ours. This is not acceptable I should be grateful on my behalf and those of my neighbours that the Highways agency and / or Bedford Council come out to redo the properties that have been overlooked.

The Highways inspector's response is

"When the works were recently done, we did the worst sections with the money that was available at the time. The other paths that were not resurfaced will be assessed from next financial years budget, in April."

Well it's looking like almost  April from my window so time for a quick gee up. I have no doubt it would have been more cost effective to do all the Millards footpaths at one go. The pigeon post has already gone to the parish clerk.

Last night's meeting

Minutes of the PC planning meeting approved last night:

Before the meeting started,  a resident of Court Road, reported the problems that she has endured from the contractors delivering to the Home Farm Development.  She is concerned, and has experienced dangerous obstruction and delays caused by the lorries which park on Lodge Road to deliver materials.  When challenged, they become abusive.  She tried to complain at the site office, however, further abuse was received from a worker on site; it is now her intention to take the matter further by contacting Martin Wright Persimmon Homes, to ask that he complies with the legal responsibilities relating to agreed conditions. 

PCllr Mrs D Ball reported that she had met with police to discuss the matter of illegal parking of lorries whilst waiting/unloading, and the abuse given to residents when complaints are made.  Police Officer Keith Glen met with Cllr Ball on site and a warning was given to Mr N Burt, site manager, stating that any lorries parking illegally (not using the designated parking area) would be ‘ticketed’, and that abuse would not be tolerated.  Cllr Ball reported to Martin Wright, however he said that the problems were not due to the behaviour of Persimmon workers therefore he was unable to do anything.  Cllr Ball made it clear that this Council expects him to manage the situation as it is his responsibility.  CBCllr A Bastable undertook to attempt to contact Mr Wright on Thursday 10^th March to follow this up.  Cllr Ball undertook to contact Hannah Pattinson to make her aware of the situation and to ask that she impresses on Martin Wright, the need for him to comply with his legal responsibilities.

Lodge Road Closure

Cranfield

Lodge Rd

4.04.11

8.04.11

Daytime closure 0730 - 1800

Carriageway works

Peter Wales T & W Civil Engineering 01604 702220

Bang!

I have had a number of reports of parishioners disturbed by gas guns which go off early in the morning in newly sown fields to scare the pesky birds. No doubt this could be resolved amicably with local farmers so long as we establish if there is a growing problem and what the guidelines are. Please report, confidentially,  any concerns to me at broadgreen68@btinternet.com 01234 757689

Line-out

Imagine the joy in Lincroft when the double yellow lineman (for the county) came with his paint pot to mark the junction with the High Street. Except, he missed a bit – pictured, so parking continues. Cranfield Express is appealing for explanations. The main contenders are: 1 - A special parking space for parish councillors when they are visiting the off licence; 2 – a special parking space for parish councillors when they are visiting the hairdressers; 3 – the impact of front loaded local government spending cuts. 

Bus services to Milton Keynes

See the letter below from Milton Keynes council. It means that unless something happens there will be not evening services to Milton Keynes. After the loss of evening services to Bedford two years ago Cranfield faces the prospect of a being a young person, non-car user unfriendly place after 6 pm. 

Dear Ms Davey - Hunt

BUS SERVICES BETWEEN CRANFIELD AND CENTRAL MILTON KEYNES   

I am writing to you regarding changes to bus services between Central Milton Keynes and Cranfield with effect from 22^nd May 2011.

Currently routes 1, 17/17A, and 158 operate between Cranfield, and Central Milton Keynes. All three services receive financial support from Milton Keynes Council. In addition to providing through journeys between Cranfield and Milton Keynes the three services provide local journeys between Cranfield University and Cranfield.

Details of the changes to services are as follows;

• Service 1 provides an hourly Monday to Saturday daytime service via Newport Pagnell. A revised timetable will be introduced, but there will be no change to the frequency.  

• Service 17/17A provides an approximately two hourly Monday to Saturday daytime via Moulsoe, Coachway and Kingston. The route of the service between Kingston and Central Milton Keynes will be revised to include Woburn Sands and Bletchley. Passengers using the service wishing to travel to Central Milton Keynes can either stay on the vehicle or reduce their journey time by changing at Coachway to a more direct service.

• Service 158 provides two return evening journeys Mondays to Saturdays between Milton Keynes and Cranfield. Subject to final approval this service will be withdrawn.

The changes to services 1 and 17 are such that local journeys will continue to be provided, but the withdrawal of service 158 will mean that there will be no local journeys in Cranfield Monday to Saturday evening.

The withdrawal of service 158 has been discussed with Central Bedfordshire Council and a request has been made by Milton Keynes Council for a financial contribution towards the service. Unfortunately Central Bedfordshire Council has declined to make any contribution.

In addition to writing to you to notify you of the changes I therefore also wish to investigate whether Cranfield Parish Council or Cranfield University, to whom I am also writing, would be willing to make a financial contribution towards retaining the evening service.

If you wish to consider the matter I am happy to provide details of the current contract cost and surveys of passenger use that have been undertaken of evening journeys.

I look forward to your response.

Stuart Simmonds

Passenger Transport Officer (Operations)

Am I going bonkers?

No answers to that question please. After the 'new' A421 opened the 'new' junction 13 proved a bit of a challenge but we all mastered it. It seems odd  heading off to Cranfield and Salford on a 6-lane superhighway. Well, things move on.

However last Sunday and then again on Tuesday coming back from a business trip to Hemel (yes, I know, I did something bad in  a past life) I ended up going all round the loops and getting back to Cranfield via Aspley. After consulting with others I've confirmed that the road up to Cranfield/Salford is currently closed but you can still access J13 via that route. I actually may be going mad but that's not one of the symptoms. 

No clash

No Parish council tonight. Bit of a waste really as there is no decent footie only Chelsea and Copenhagen. I've had both legs of Man U and Marseille uninterrupted (praise be) and the pleasure of watching Barca dismantle Arsenal, undistracted by parochial duties. Missed Spurs and Milan. Spurs are a good cause since they have registered underdog status and are NOT Arsenal.  Chelsea are also not Arsenal but they are Chelsea. Quarter final draw in Friday.

Buses

The Central Beds budget setting confirmed the cut in support for  Sunday buses. However Sunday buses to and from Bedford will continue to run until July when Stagecoach adjust their timetables. 

We are trying to find out what Bedford Borough are doing about their end of support for this service. A letter is being drafted to go to the portfolio holder (head hauncho in plain speaking terms) for public transport Cllr Charles Royden. I will keep readers up to date. 

Persimmon

We are hearing repeated reports of unpleasant behaviour from truck drivers in Lodge Road. It has to be stressed that Cranfield and the Parish Council accept that houses are being built on Home Farm and there will be some loss of "amenity" as the planners quaintly put it.

However there are two complete NO-NOs. First no trucks should be going down Lodge Road to Court Road and secondly the abuse some parishioners have reported from truck drivers must stop.

Child cemeteries

From an on line reader of Cranfield Express:

I have just been reading the March edition of Cranfield Express online
concerning child areas in cemeteries.

I lived in Cranfield up until I was 18, when I joined the Army.  I am now
almost 75, retired and live in Basingstoke.   I have been in that cemetery
on quite a few occasions when I visit my sister who still lives in the
village;  indeed one of my aunts is buried there also.

I have seen a number of child areas in cemeteries and find them 'full of
life' with jingles etc. and other items such as toys, photos and lights.  I
cannot see anything wrong in this provided they are all together in one area
- and that is how most of the bereaved parents and relatives would like it
to be.

I visit the cemetery in Southampton quite regularly when I take my wife to
the hospital and they have a lovely area set aside especially for the young
who die.  It is full of life and parents love the thought of being able to
sit and 'play' with their children with the toys around them.

Death of a child is particularly harrowing;  so make it more comfortable for
those who visit the small graves.

Community safety

Last Wednesday (2 March) Notable for a member of the public angry about what the trucks are doing to Court Road and the attitude of some staff on the Home Farm site when approached and a good presentation by PC Keith Glen from the safer neighbourhood team.