Flitt Leys emergency access fear

I wouldn't like to be sensationalist but could we see this happening in Flitt Leys in the future? Of course there will be no "other route".

BBC -11 September 2013 Last updated at 11:48

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Southend blocked fire engine prompts council warning

Warning letters about bad parking are to be sent to residents after a fire engine got stuck in an Essex street.

The Southend crew was on its way to a flat fire in Cluny Square when double parked vehicles blocked its way.

The fire engine had to reverse off and find another route to the fire, reported in the early hours of Sunday.

The fire service raised the issue with Southend Borough Council, which is writing to people in the area about the episode.

A woman had suffered the effects of breathing in smoke during the fire.

Cheryl Hindle-Terry, of the council, said: "We will be asking them to park considerately in the Cluny Square area to avoid the need for parking restrictions to be proposed in future."

Parish Council 18 September - Holywell

Parish council meeting next week. I'm hoping by then we'll have a report back on the Marston Hill Closure in July. Please note the speaker on the development of 1/2 the High St. At the speed Persimmon are going this will be up and running long before Home Farm is finished. Also there will be further debate about the defib disaster. We thought it was going on the village hall wall but now it isn't.

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Wednesday, 18^th September 2013 at 8.00pm

All members of the Council are hereby summoned to attend for the purpose of resolving upon the business to be transacted at the meeting/s as set out hereunder.                                                                              

                 

BUSINESS TO BE DONE

7.00 -  Jason Leonard, Woods Hardwick; 1 – 2 High Street.

 

^1.            To receive apologies for absence  

^2.            To receive declarations of personal and/or prejudicial interests in any matter

^3.            To confirm the minutes of the last meeting[s] [copy herewith]

^4.            Clerks Report

^5.            Health & Safety

^6.            Reports from Committees

6.1.    General Purposes Committee

6.1.1.    Defibrillator

6.2.    Burial Grounds Committee

6.3.    Environment Committee

6.4.    Planning Committee

6.5.    Finance & Grants Committee

^7.            Financial matters and accounts for payment

7.1.    S137 Grant - RBL

^8.            Correspondence

^9.            Reports from unitary councillors (and any other representative)

^10.        Highway matters

Moulsoe Road Closure

Cranfield - twinned with Holdup, Austria and Conesville, Montana

Will it really take four months to build the new footpath/cycleway to the uni? That's the message from the TTRO (temporary traffic regulation order to give it its full, inglorious title). See below. BTW still, yes still, waiting for some decent explanation for the Great Marston Hill Closure in July which plunged afternoon traffic into gridlock.

Proposed Temporary Road Closure – C75 Moulsoe Road, Cranfield

I have a request for a Temporary Road Closure at the above location to enable footway works to be carried out in safety. Details are listed in the schedule below and having assessed the application I am satisfied the request is justified.

The alternative route for this closure is as in the details below and will be signed accordingly. The restrictions are to be in operation only when the necessary signs are erected on site. The  Legal  Order will be made  to  cover a  four month  period. Access may be allowed from  time to time  according  to local  signing.

If you have any observations you wish to make I would be grateful if you could let me know as soon as possible.

Gareth Hughes. Network Co-ordinator

……………………………………………………………………………………

Moulsoe Road, Cranfield

Application from: Amey for CBC – 03003008049 – Adrian Clothier

Reason: Footway Works

Length affected:From C70 High Street to Bowstring Link

Date: The closure is expected to take place from Monday 2 September to Sunday 24 November 2013, between the hours of 0800 and 1800.  

Alternative Route: From junction with High Street proceed along Cranfield Road and continue to the junction with Bowstring Link, turn right and continue to the roundabout with University Way roundabout, take 3rd exit to reach site and vice versa.

NB. The applicant will be responsible for taking down all Central Bedfordshire Council public notices immediately after the works requiring the Order have been completed.

Remembrance Sunday preparations

Got an extra layer on? Brown leaves piling up in the drive? First hints of halloween merchandise around? Yes that means autumn, and the season also includes the Remembrance Sunday event organised by Cranfield Royal British Legion. See RBL planning for this event on 10 November below.

We have now started planning the above event, so please find dates and times for your dairy.

Assemble at the Cross Keys Public house at 1015am.

Form up and march off at 1045am under the direction of the Parade Marshall

Union Standard Bearer.

RBL Standard Bearer.

Arrive at the Memorial and dress into position by 1055am

The parade Marshall will organise all organisations into position at the Memorial before handing over to the Senior uniformed officer on parade.

The Wreath laying ceremony at the memorial.

The Rector will conduct the prayers

The Chairman of the Royal British Legion will read the Exhortation and the Roll of Honour.

The Parade Marshall will call the organisation and the name of the person laying the tribute.

The Rector will say a final prayer.

The Senior uniformed officer will call the parade to attention and march the parade to church.

After the church service it is hoped the ACF and ATC will place poppies on the war graves in the old Cemetery  and place a tribute of honour on the graves of all RBL members that have died since the branch was reformed in 1997.

All organisations will return to home stations under the direction of their own staff.

On Saturday 9 November at 10am  we will meet at the memorial to run through the parade positions and the laying of the wreaths.

Anyone wishing to order a wreath or tribute from the Royal British Legion Branch please contact Captain Jill Milnthorpe on 01234 752404.

If you know who will be laying your wreath or tribute can you please inform Jill, this is in order their name may be called at the wreath-laying Ceremony.

Should you have any question or requests  please contact the Chairman on 07767086310 or 

Email John Seamark

Uni bus is Go!!

The new UNO university promoted bus service is up and running from today. 

 It includes an early morning service to Flitwick station and one back in the late afternoon. There are also late evening buses back from Milton Keynes and Bedford. 

Hard copy timetables with fares etc are in production I understand but the links below will take you through to the UNO website timetables. The Parish Council has had lengthy discussion with the University about these plans but all credit is due to the University authorities for launching this. It replaces the pilot Souls 61 and 62 service. More news and reaction soon...



Bedford to Mk via Cranfield
http://www.unobus.info/service.shtml?serviceid=1997

Flitwick to Cranfield
http://www.unobus.info/service.shtml?serviceid=1998

ello, ello, ello

They say policemen look younger as you get older and that includes chief constables. But they have also morphed from the men with pencil thinmoustaches  of a generation ago into the new breed of bright, super-energetic, change-it-around head teacher types. 

Colette Paul, Bedfordshire's new chief constable is a great example of the new breed. She did her stuff at Bedfordshire Councils Planning Consortium Meeting in Flitwick last night for reps from town and parish councils. Very attentive to questions and ready to engage she made a good impression and we are grateful for her time. As we all dispersed after 9 pm I learned she had a 7.30 meeting in Luton the following morning and it would appear there is no chauffeur. It's a demanding job whatever the postholder.

Sometimes, of course, these encounters are interesting for what the keynote speaker doesn't say. The new chief's CV includes years with CID in the Met and deputy CC of heavily industrialised (or post-industrialised)  south Wales - tough neighbourhoods with racial and social tensions and, specially in London, major organised crime.

So, she might have said: "All your stuff about youths and graffiti and bobbies on the beat. You don't know you're living in mid-Bedfordshire. In London we have stabbings, huge drug deals, terrorism and radical clerics to sort out." Though she would have had to acknowledge EDL in Luton.

She might also have added: "Society has given the police a lot less money and you don't get what you don't pay for - a bit like Easyjet and M&S."

But of course Ms Paul didn't say either of those things though I'm sure she would love to.

From the Cranfield angle, chairwoman Delise Ball raised the CBC idea that cars will be banned from pavements and local parish councillors would then serve warning notices to offenders for a number of months  before CBC would intervene. Would the chief be happy to do this herself as it sounded a bit dodgy?  She said she would, and in a private capacity, not just as a police officer. Well, with that determination and grit maybe she can help us out on a Friday night at Flitt Leys. We'll need all the help we can get.

Methodist Church changing faces

News hot off the press is that Caroline Weaver has  moved on as Methodist minister in the village and has been replaced by Graham Claydon-Knights, who  previously worked in  Essex. Here's an early heads up on the new minister from his (former) local newsletter. Ignore the Flitwick bit...

Slow down when you get to Cranfield

At Parish Council last night we backed the proposed 50 mph limit on Moulsoe Road and the entrance to Cranfield at windsock corner. See notice below. However at George Young's suggestion we have asked for the 112 metres south west of the junction stretch to be extended to 250 metres to allow for the bend.

CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE COUNCIL PROPOSES TO INTRODUCE A 50MPH SPEED LIMIT IN MOULSOE ROAD AND HIGH STREET/CRANFIELD ROAD, CRANFIELD

Effect of the Order:
To introduce a 50mph Speed Limit on the following lengths of road in Cranfield:

Moulsoe Road, from a point approximately 142 metres east of its junction with University Way extending in an easterly direction to its junction with High Street/Cranfield Road.

High Street/Cranfield Road, from a point approximately 112 metres south-west of its junction with Moulsoe Road extending in a north-easterly direction to a point approximately 172 metres north- east of that junction.

Is King Prawn Chinese Style blocking your drive?

The picture shows the construction of Flitt Leys Close in 2009. The hot food takeaways can be seen on the left and in the left foreground the site of the derelict filling station, an eyesore which the landowner did nothing about. After Flitt Leys Close was built there was another application to build the two houses now in the left foreground with parking behind.  That added to parking pressure in the Close. We wanted rid of that petrol station but my god the present days residents are paying for it.

Half a dozen exasperated residents attended last night's parish council meeting to report a situation  going from bad to worse. The takeaway parking is extending further up the Close and many patrons casually block exits for residents. The sit-in facility for Blue Indiya now adds to the duration  of visitor parking.

The chair Delise ball confirmed that highways boss Cllr Brian Spurr would attend a site meeting this week or next to see just what it is like - particularly on a Friday night. 

This is now...without the 135 homes earmarked for the site further on up, without a school for 150 children and without the planned health centre.

East west railway line

This could be a bit of a shock for everyone used to sleepy old Bedford Bletchley railway line! Specially for Ridgmont. 

on track for Central Bedfordshire following Executive’s £5m proposal

 

Executive Councillors have recommended that Central Bedfordshire Council pledge £5.18m in support of the East West Rail Scheme.

The proposed East West Rail Western Section, which would run from Bedford to Oxford and Reading, would have one stop in Central Bedfordshire – and councillors recommended that this should be at Ridgmont.

Draft plans for the new line list Lidlington as the single stop in Central Bedfordshire. However, councillors put forward their support for a Ridgmont stop instead, on the grounds that this station has greater potential to develop as a transport interchange. It would also encourage rail travel to the nearby Marston Gate Business Park and the planned new Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre. 

Cllr Nigel Young, Executive Member for Sustainable Communities (Strategic Planning and Economic Development), said: “We are excited about the prospect of the East West Rail Western Section linking this part of Central Bedfordshire to major towns and cities like Oxford, Bedford and Milton Keynes by rail. The planned service improvements will encourage more people to take the train, and will bring significant economic benefits to Central Bedfordshire by encouraging more businesses to start up and grow in our area. Today’s recommendation shows the Government that Central Bedfordshire is determined to support projects that stimulate growth. 

“The Executive has made it very clear that it would prefer for the new Bedford to Oxford service to stop at Ridgmont station. I look forward to working with other authorities within the East West Rail Consortium, Network Rail, and the Department for Transport to achieve this.” 

For more information about the East West Rail project, please visit http://www.eastwestrail.org.uk/
ENDS

 

So when were we asked?

CBC have responded to our point about consultation over a school being located on the proposed central motors site,  which we discussed at the meeting at Chicksands last week. See the response below. From the last paragraph you will note there is a gap in the paper trail:

"I understand that some further information has been requested. I understand that this request relates to any documentation which identifies when Central Bedfordshire Council have consulted Cranfield Parish Council and the responses from the Parish Council to Central Bedfordshire Council following these consultations. I have attached the relevant material which includes:

 

Responses

- Issues and Options Consultation responses

- Site Allocations DPD Pre-submission Consultation Response

- Site Allocations DPD Technical Document Consultation Response 

 

Consultations

- LDF Newsletters

- Consultation Letters including:

        - Site Allocations Pre-submission Consultation Letter

        - Site Allocations Updated Technical Document Consultation Letter

        - Site Allocations Examination Programme

        - Site Allocations Table of Changes Letter

        - Invitation to Examination Pre-Hearing Meeting

- Development Brief consultation and public exhibition letter. (Please note this is a template as the consultation was conducted by the agent - DLA Town Planning)

 

Unfortunately, as the initial Site Allocation Issues and Options Consultation was conducted by an external consultation group (known as Vision Twentyone), we do not have the specific letters sent out as part of the consultation exercise. I can confirm that any Parish Council in Central Bedfordshire would have been considered a Statutory Consultee and would have been consulted. Please note I have attached an Excel spreadsheet showing Vision Twentyone's contact spreadsheet which identifies the contact details used when contacting Cranfield Parish Council during this process."

Stretch your legs

     
Get walking - getting healthy at the Fiorest centre

Weds Sept 4, 11, 18, 25 - Health Walks 10.30

Free, no need to book. Most walks start at Reception but some elsewhere – see notice board to confirm.

Venue: The Forest Centre, Marston Vale Millennium Country Park, Station Road, Marston Moretaine, Bedford
Phone: 01234 767037
Email: info@marstonvale.org Website: The Forest of Marston Vale

What's the squeeze like in Cranfield?

The national  squeeze on primary school places could hit Central Beds particularly hard according to the latest news reports (below). The plan for Cranfield is an extra 150 primary school places (for years 1 to 4) on the proposed site in Central Motors plus a Middle School total of over 700. 

See school places squeeze

One huge traffic jam

We went head to head with CBC last week over Flitt Leys Close and the Central Motors proposal. Here is my interim report to the parish council. More discussion tomorrow night.

Last week Pcllrs Delise Ball, Roger Baker and Laurence Pollock met with senior planners and highways officers and Cllrs Nigel Young (sustainable communities lead ) and Brian Spurr (highways lead) at Chicksands along with our three ward councillors. The aim  was to look at how Flitt Leys Close/Central motors was now the potential access for 135 homes, a health centre, a school and the existing takeaways and to highlight existing issues in the Close.

There are two points of note:

First Brian Spurr has offered, and I am sure we will take it up, to do another site visit to look at the current situation in FLC. This is in the light of our description of the on-going problems as they stand with the hot food takeaways. Parking bays and double yellow lines were discussed with Brian warning that any parking restrictions will cause a public reaction. We acknowledged this but pointed out that CBC in effect had offered to look at the present situation and offer some solutions.  

Secondly Nigel Young went to great lengths to argue that the local development framework including a school in Central Motors had been fully consulted on. Given that the original paperwork simply nominated a school (if needed) I’m not so sure. That option has now become a cast iron certainty with no alternative site permitted. For years we were told the playing field on Home Farm reflected the expansion needed for the Lower School. No one in CBC education or planning has ever stated ‘we need to look for a new school site’.

Others present will I am sure offer more detail and context tomorrow night. 

I appreciated the time spent but I’m not sure CBC 'gets' how a series of poor decisions – inadequate education capacity for Home Farm, poor choice of location for the health centre, permission  to build around a group of  takeaways and single access for a 135-home development are now piling up. Into one huge traffic jam.