Bring out your dead...kettles

A big reminder about Preen the community re-use facility which will be visiting Cranfield on 7 September and 5 October (village hall and round the houses) to pick up repairable, salvageable, reuseable  household items large and small and make them fit for purpose. In fact they even repair kettles and toasters most of which I end up taking to the tip because no one else will make them work again. I always feel bad about that. 

Take a look at Preen by clicking here. More info soon here on the blog, on Movers and Shakers for those subscribe (email broadgreen68@btinternet.com) and Cranfield Express, Petewilling

Fine Preen on Facebook

Lord Henry Chilver

There have been a  number of media obituaries of the former Vice Chancellor of Cranfield University Henry Chilver, who died last month.  The  Lord Henry Chilver obituary in the Guardian charts the life and achievements of the man who made Cranfield a national name in higher education and advanced research. One resident at the bloghouse  who worked at the uni from 1982 onwards remembers him as a very visible presence walking down Prince Philip Avenue from Cayley lodge every morning to the main campus. There will be a localised obituary in Cranfield Express, Petewilling,  at the end of this month. 

Traffic calming - just the start

Traffic calming is here. If you wiggled your backside while you were at the end of Crane Way you might miss it. But there is one "raised table" at the Bedford Road-Crane Way junction - the first piece of the village TC scheme to be completed. More delights to come in the High Street, Mill Road and at Coop corner etc. Keep an eye on the schedule (further down the blog).

I've had a letter from Persimmon in response to my letter sent earlier this month.  

It states: "We full intend to enter into consultation with the Parish Council and the local community in due course and I can assure you that we are fully aware of the need to provide all the appropriate community facilities and to provide pedestrian links to the village. 

"We will be in touch with the Parish Council shortly to discuss our proposals in further detail."

Beating the bounds

Bedford Road is closed off for the works beyond the Coop. No buses going there today LOL. Tap still not working in the cemetery but the dog waste has been cleared (TG) from the bin outside it. 

Walk the Vale - by train!

See these opportunities (link below) to get out and about in the Vale enjoying the fresh air and seeing some marvellous countryside

Walking festival

The 2012 Bedfordshire Walking  Festival is in its 3rd year, bigger and better than ever.

Between 8 and 16 September, a series of guided walks will take place aimed at getting you out and about, and enjoying the countryside. These range from strolls of a couple of miles, to two-day hikes, so there is something for everyone.

Many walks are accessible from the railways and the Bedford to Bletchley Rail Users Association’s own ‘Railway Ramble’ on 8th September – a 13.20 start at Ridgmont. A full programme of walks can be viewed on the Bedfordshire Walking Festival website - see link above.

As well as the guided walks, there are loads of other walks that you can easily do from the Marston Vale Line. So check them out!

Cemetery tap

Anglia water sorting our tap in the cemetery. 

Dog waste bins

Two handsome new dog waste bins in Broad Green and one in the Rec courtesy of Cranfield Parish Council. Dog owners please use them!

Pensions con

See this latest warning from Central Beds Trading Standards team about yet another way to con your money out of you. Heck, we are supposed to be a no cold calling area but they all bang on my door continuously. Zenith windows were the latest nuisances.

A scam artist will be persistent and persuasive, rush you into making a decision, appear to have slick, professional leaflets and letters. I.e. just like a door to door sales rep. See below

Latest scam alert from the Trading Standards team Pension collection telephone scam The Trading Standards team is warning elderly residents to be aware of a possible telephone scam, where the caller claims to be able to arrange the collection of your pension. For more information on this alert, please see our "Early Warnings" section at  Be Scam Aware. Please help prevent others from falling victim to this scam by mentioning this alert to family, friends and neighbours. Central Bedfordshire Council - Trading Standards team

Dog waste

New dog waste bins are in the Rec and Broad Green. They're like great square post boxes, unmissable. But we have an overflowing (old) bin at the cemetery. Central Beds being chased on that at the moment. 

Plumber called to look at the tap in the cemetery

Home Farm

Central Beds has reported no meetings with Persimmon or developments around the Home Farm Site nor details of any future plans.

Wind turbines in Brogborough

Here are Cranfield Parish Council's comments on the Brogborough wind energy project scoping report.

3.2.10
table 3.4 notes that the application for a wind turbine at Stewartby has
been withdrawn. At the most recent Marston Vale landfill Liaison meeting in
July, FCC confirmed that they were going to resubmit this application to BBC
in late July.

para 3.2.4
Consultees: should include all the parishes in the Cranfield Marston ward:
Cranfield, Marston, Hulcote and Salford, Brogborough, Ridgmont, Lidlington,
Millbrook, plus all those with the potential for visual impact, including
Wootton, Stewartby, Ampthill,  Houghton Conquest. As a major planning
application, we would like to see all parishes over a very wide area
notified of the application, even if not apparently directly affected.
Cranfield Airfield is not named as a consultee in Appendix A, but clearly
needs to be one.

Para6.2.6 Noise and vibration
The Parish Council would like to be involved in the selection of noise
monitoring sites around the Wood End area of Cranfield. The area is
especially quiet, particularly at night, which needs to be taken into
account. Also, there have been problems in Wood End with the electricity
generating engines at Brogborough. In certain meteorological conditions,
usually when the weather is very good and wind conditions very still, the
sound of the engines reverberates over to Wood End, and at times the noise
can be very loud.

6.6.10
The LVIA needs to be based on a large enough area to take full account of
the long distance views that extend across and along the length of the
Marston Vale, from the ridges that enclose the Vale.
Key viewpoints should include the impact on named long distance routes that
run adjacent or close to the proposed turbines at Wood End. These routes are
the National cycleway route 51, the Bunyan Way and Clay Way. The long
distance views from  the Greensand Ridge Way, at Ampthill should also be
assessed, along with views from  the picnic area, owned by the Marston Vale
trust, at Lidlington. 
The Parish Council would like to be involved in the selection of viewpoints.

6.8.3
States Cranfield Airport have raised concerns that the development could
affect the potential for it to install a radar system in future. But
Cranfield air field is not listed in Appendix A as a consultee - is this
information taken from their objections to the Marston Millennium Park mast,
or have they actually consulted Cranfield? Given that the secondary run way
takes off in the direction of the proposed wind turbines,  they should be
consulted on this scoping document.

6.10
Shadow flicker has the potential to affect a number of properties in Wood
End, especially as these are in an elevated position, so the blades will
effectively be at eye height.

Other issues

No mention is given of the potential effect on the approved restoration
scheme for Brogborough landfill site. This needs to be assessed

No rationale is given for the proposed location of the turbines. What
evidence supports the individual site choices? The scoping masts have been
erected since this scoping report was produced, and therefore no information
from these has been used in the selection of the proposed turbine locations.
This needs to be addressed in the EA.

A certain excitement

Another parishioner writes (on Wed) about the bus confusion. I like the old style touch about the 'Regal' (Ritz I think) - cinema built for the RAF base in the 30s which survived, I think, to the 60s and 70s on the site of the pharmacy. I think Marston Hill is the current belt and braces solution until the bus companies look at Amey's road closure diagram.  

I was advised by my friend that the Number 52 Bedford bus was bypassing Mill Road and going straight down Bedford Road today. He had been waiting in Mill Road near the Co-op (outside “the Regal”) and saw his bus go straight from the High Street into Bedford Road! An hour later I duly waited in Bedford Road at the abandoned bus shelter and then saw the 52 come out from Crane Way and disappear down the hill!

Whilst this adds a certain excitement to our daily lives it also causes considerable inconvenience.

There were no notices on the bus stops. A passer-by said that she had been on the bus yesterday and the driver had told her that all Cranfield  buses were using the Bedford Road route for the summer to avoid complications. She had also phoned the bus station who knew nothing about diversions.

My next plan is to wait in the High Street by the Cross Keys, or on Marston Hill to ensure it can’t avoid passengers wishing to use the service.

Home Farm - new application?

I have written to Judith Potter, deputy managing director of Persimmon Homes Midlands as follows:

We have recently received reports that Persimmon Homes is in discussion with Central Bedfordshire Planners about submitting a new planning application for the Home Farm site in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, which excludes an area of land owned by Denison Investments, currently the subject of a dispute. If this is untrue or I have misunderstood I would be grateful for a clarification.

However, if this is the case, there will be concern as the Home Farm site was agreed by Mid Beds (CBC’s predecessor authority) because of the pedestrian access, through the Denison land, to the centre of the village. The land in question is also the site of two key S106 elements the school playing field and the community building. This is another cause of concern. 

Home Farm

Update from CBC about Persimmon's pledge to vacate their house in Home farm...

Dear Mr Pollock,

I have not received the confirmation in writing of when the property will be vacated from Persimmon, and therefore I am unfortunately unable to give you an update at this time.

---

From: Laurence Pollock [mailto:broadgreen68@btinternet.com]
Sent: 25 July 2012 12:40
Subject: Home Farm

In your earlier email you reported that Persimmon pledged not to renew the current short term lease on the occupied Home Farm house and that you had asked for this promise to not to reoccupy in writing. 

Have you now received Persimmon's commitments in writing and is the house still occupied? If so, when will it be vacated?

Traffic calming

Further tabular info on road closures this month and into October for traffic calming works


Amey writes:

"There are not intended to be any temporary traffic signals or road closures left on overnight or over any weekend (except for Bourne End Road), though there may need to be cones and signs to protect the works.

"It is intended to complete each section before moving on to the next to minimise disruption. The programme will be monitored and should the need arise could possibly be altered to take account of any local or unforeseen issues that may arise. There can also be flexibility actual dates given to take account of actual progress - we may be able to complete some sections quicker than expected and be in a position to move on to the next section early – leading to less overall disruption. 

"Regular updates will be sent out to keep you up to date with progress and any alterations that may occur in the overall programme. Also the Advanced Warning signs warning of the traffic management can be revised if required so that the public can also be aware of any changes to the times and dates of expected disruption."

ection	Location of works	Expected Duration of works	Date/Duration of temporary traffic signals	Date/Duration of road closures
1	Crane Way/ Bedford Road	30th July to 9thAug	3 way lights 6 days (8am-6pm)	3 day closure (Tuesday 7th  – Thursday 9th: 9am-3.30pm)
2	Mill Road/ Crane Way	9th to 24th Aug	3 way lights 2 weeks (8am-6pm)	3 day closure. (Tuesday 21st – Thursday 23rd: 9am-3.30pm)
3	High street (War Memorial)	27th Aug to 13th Sept	2 way lights for 11 days (8am-6pm).	3 day closure. (Tuesday 11th – Thursday 13th: 9am-3.30pm) Localised closure to merchant lane and Court Road
4	Crawley Road	17th to 20thSept		3 day off peak closure (9am – 3.30pm)
5	Mill Road/ High Street	24th Sept to 8thOct	2 way lights for 2 weeks (8am-6pm)	3 day closure (Tuesday 18th – Thursday 20th: 9am- 3.30pm). Mill Road to be closed for 3 weeks (at the High Street).
6	High street (Cross Keys)	9th - 11th Oct		3 day off peak closure (Tuesday 9th – Thursday 11th: 9am- 3.30pm).
-	Bourne End Road (junction Broad Green)	Duration of works		Closed for use as site compound and welfare unit.

Mill Road traffic calming

Further information from CBC about Mill Road works and effect on buses:


I have been advised that the forthcoming work in Mill Road for week 13-17 August  is to be carried out using traffic lights.  However a road closure is planned to take place on 21,22,and 23 August at the junction of Mill Road, Crane way and Crawley Road between 9.00am and 3.30pm on each of the three days.  This will affect the Stagecoach 52, Grant Palmer 45 and Road Runner RR1.  During this closure the Stagecoach 52 and Road Runner RR1 will need to divert via Bedford Road.  The effect on the Grant Palmer 45 service will need to be discussed.  Notices for bus passengers will be put out at bus stops in advance of the closure. 

New No Waiting in Cranfield

CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE COUNCIL PROPOSES TO EXTEND THE EXISTING 

PROHIBITION OF WAITING ON HIGH STREET AND COURT ROAD, CRANFIELD 

Reason for proposals: The proposed Order is considered necessary on the grounds of promoting

road safety. The Prohibition of Waiting is being proposed in conjunction with a traffic calming 

scheme. This will involve footway widening which will narrow the road width and therefore will need 

to be kept clear of parked vehicles. Therefore, Central Bedfordshire Council proposes to make a 

Road Traffic Regulation Order as follows: 

Effect of the Order: 

To introduce No Waiting at Any Time (double yellow lines) on the following lengths of road 

in Cranfield:- 

1. High Street, north-west side from the property boundary of nos. 97 and 99 High Street in a 

north-easterly direction for a distance of approximately 14 metres. 

2. Court Road, north side from a point approximately 5 metres west of the east flank wall of 

property no. 128 High Street in an easterly direction for a distance of approximately 12 metres. 

Further Details of the proposal and plans may be examined during normal opening hours at 

Ampthill library, 1 Dunstable Street, Ampthill MK45 2NL or online at 

www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/consultations.These details will be placed on deposit until 6 

weeks after the Order is made or until it is decided not to continue with the proposal. For more 

information, please contact Gary Baldwin, tel.0845 3656116 or by email 

gary.baldwin@amey.co.uk. 

Objections should be sent in writing to the Transportation Manager, Bedfordshire Highways, 

Woodlands Annex, Manton Lane, Bedford MK41 7NU or e-mail 

centralbedsconsultation@amey.co.uk stating the grounds on which they are made by 30th August 

2012. 

Order Title: if made will be “Central Bedfordshire Council (District of Mid Bedfordshire) (Civil 

Enforcement Area and Special Enforcement Area) (Waiting Restrictions and Street Parking 

Places) (Consolidation) Order 2008 (Variation No *) Order 201*. 

Traffic calming

Official notification about next week's road closure from Bedfordshire Highways:

Please be advised that the first road closure in Cranfield will be 7- 9^th August. This will be at the junction of Bedford Road/ Crane Way during off peak hours. All further closures will take place in the order stated in previous correspondence unless it is absolutely necessary to make a change in this respect.

I shall endeavour to send you all a weekly update on all closures. The closures are somewhat dictated to in terms of a programme by progress on site, therefore our initial programme is an estimate at present until the scheme starts in earnest over the next couple of weeks. It will be my weekly updates guided by our Supervisors experiences on site, which will provide the most accurate up to date information to you all going forward and I shall attempt to give you all the information I have as quickly as I have it.

The first closure of the 8^th – 10^th August will be happening (weather permitting) based on the protracted progress of works on site.

All bus companies have been made aware of the first road closure and they will continue to be included in my updates.

Cemetery

No water in the cemetery tap. Irritating if you wish to refresh the plants on a loved one's grave. We are on the case and apologies for the present difficulties.

Church clock

Church clock looking fast at the moment. What do you think? Amazingly we have been told that bad (wet) weather can affect it.

Update on the buses and traffic calming

CBC and Amey seem to be working hard to get  Stagecoach on track with the current road works. A CBC transport officer emailed:

"I have spoken this afternoon to the site engineer in charge of the current road works in Cranfield and there should not have been a problem this morning with the buses in Crane Way as the road has been open throughout the day except for the use of traffic lights.  Occasionally when traffic lights are in operation at a road works both can be put on red for a short period if the work requires it.  I am awaiting a response from Stagecoach to see if they can establish a reason why the driver may not have chosen to take his bus along Crane Way this morning.

"The bus companies that may be affected are Stagecoach, Grant Palmer and Road Runner by the road closures in Cranfield.  The two bus companies affected by the Crane Way road closure have been given a preview of the notice to be put up at bus stops for the general public together with information on the particular road closure."  

I also got a call from an Amey engineer to assure me there should be no reason this week why the buses do not go down Crane Way. He points out that next week the Crane Way-Bedford  Road junction will be closed 9.30 to 3.30 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (7,8 & 9 August). 

So far, although I emailed Stagecoach this morning,  I have not had a response from them. I have advised one parishioner who missed his bus this morning to catch the bus on Friday from Bedford road below Crane Way, just to be on the safe side.  

More missed buses

Another parishioner has written to me:


I waited myself for a 52 at 12-30  yesterday at Crane Way and it did not come. Last Fri I asked for information at Bedford bus station and was told they had no idea themselves what was happening, and despite my several attempts to get info put on the bus shelters this has not happened. What on earth do we have to do to get someone to take this seriously?


Answer from Parish Matters: "Not sure but we'll do our utmost"

Missing buses

Just emailed stage coach and CBC as follows:




"Four of our parishioners were waiting in Crane Way this morning for the 8.30   52 Bedford Bus  which went back via Bedford Road having gone up Crane Way.

Is anyone advising drivers about their route while the traffic calming works go on?"