At last year’s AGM, I spoke about the successful campaign to stop the proposed development of more than 5,000 houses & industrial units at Salden Chase, just the other side of the Bletchley boundary line, helped by the change of government and change in regional development policy – I did say this development would not take place for the time being. However, there have been changes in government policy, and there may be another attempt to develop Salden Chase. We recognise that housing is required in this region, but we must have the infrastructure first – roads, hospitals, schools etc. to support any development so as not to put undue pressure on neighbouring areas & existing facilities.
BPARA joined COBRA in 2010
Last year I advised that BPARA had joined COBRA, not the Government committee to deal with national emergencies but the Consortium of Bletchley Residents Associations. Sadly, meetings of this organisation are still few and far between. However, BPARA officers and committee members have been actively involved by attending meetings relating to The Bletchley Transport Strategy Review & the Bletchley Transport Working Group, the latter is a group jointly sponsored & led by Bletchley & Fenny Stratford & West Bletchley Councils, it is good that both councils have been working together on this important activity. We have had input into the revised layout at the B&Q roundabout (now completed), also the proposed construction of a new pedestrian crossing in Sherwood Drive close to the railway station and the college.
We were led to believe that the crossing would be installed during the College Easter holiday, followed by improvements to the Sherwood Drive/Buckingham Road double roundabout. We have now been advised that the crossing will be installed in the next 4 to 8 weeks, whilst improvements to the Buckingham Road/Sherwood Drive double roundabout will be carried out on the nights of 15 to 19 May, between the hours of 10pm and 6am. Road closures are inevitable and will be as follows:
- Buckingham Road will be closed from its junction with theV7 Saxon Street to its junction withChurch Green Road
- Sherwood Drive will be closed from its junction with Buckingham Road to its junction with the southern entrance to Milton KeynesCollege
- Water Eaton Road will be closed from its junction withBuckingham Road to its junction withWellington Place
CGR traffic calming & WB Traffic Review
The traffic calming measures in CGR have been successful in not only reducing the speed of vehicles, but have also reduced the number of vehicles using this road at peak times. MK Council has finally improved the street lighting in place at the CGR/Rickley Lane roundabout.
Other items in relation to the WB Traffic review have also been implemented –waiting restrictions in the approach to St Mary’s Church, resident permit parking in Downing Close & Girton Way – both introduced to deter commuters & students from parking here. We continue to work closely with OB NAG, & I reported last year that a joint letter was sent to London Midland Railways to suggest that the part of the railway car park (which has around 250 unused parking spaces each day) could be used by college students paying a special rate. The only response we got was the removal of part of the car parking structure to reduce the number of available spaces.
We have had a busy year which has been dominated by traffic, parking and planning issues. We have issued 4 newsletters, held 2 committee meetings, plus a membership committee meeting of BPARA officers at which we were joined by Sinclair Holm and Clive Pepper who kindly volunteered to assist BPARA Committee to conduct a membership drive in our area.
I would now like to hand over to Chris who has spent another year as Hon Secretary as we struggle to find a permanent Secretary.
After the Hon Secretary & Treasurer’s reports, propose our thanks to Committee, ably assisted by Sinclair, Clive & Peter Jarvis in delivering newsletters & collecting subs over the past year. Sadly, a founding member of BPARA in 1990 & Committee member is not here tonight – Dr James Hobbs passed away in October, greatly missed by family and friends.
Also absent due to ill health is Colin Wood to whom we send our best wishes, thanks to Megan Johnson who is covering Girton & Downing. Thanks also to Pete Ager for newsletter production.
