Ward-wide Issues.
Flyposting on fence near Interchange Roundabout – Companies from across Bedfordshire and beyond regularly put up banners and boards on this fence. This is illegal flyposting and makes the area looks scruffy. Tim has reported several recent offenders to Borough Environmental Services. There is no general licence to put up banners or boards on this fence and if you see any put up, please report it on here: https://www.bedford.gov.uk/je/#/C82E07F1-B0CB-E711-810B-70106FAA3331

Parish Issues.
Elstow.
Low hanging trees in open space – There are several trees in the open spaces by Tipcat Close that have low hanging branches. They are obstructing walkers using the public footpaths in the area. Tim has asked the Borough trees team to prune the low hanging branches.

Elstow Parish Gates – Work has started on the first Elstow Parish Council Gate on Progress Way. These Gates welcome visitors to the Parish. The work is funded by the Parish Council and Tim has contributed towards the cost from his Ward Fund. Tim asked and the Parish Council has confirmed that the Progress Way Gate is inside Wadsworth Court, as the Parish Council couldn’t identify a suitable site outside Wadworth Court.

Speeding on Abbey Fields – Tim has been pleased to help residents with the setting up of an estate Speedwatch Team.

Advertising banners and other material at Abbey Fields supermarket – Following complaints from residents, Tim has successfully asked Borough Environmental Services to get the supermarket to take down its advertising banners and other materials from the public highway.

Parking restrictions in West End – Following a site meeting with the Parish Chair and the Senior Highways Officer, I have agreed a draft scheme of double yellow lines near the new cottages and on the Red Lion/Post Office corner. Both the Parish Council and the residents in the area will be consulted on the draft scheme.

Stewartby.
Double glazing in the Sir Malcolm Stewart Homes – Cllr Tim Hill is really pleased to report that, at the Planning Committee on 19 Aug 19, the planning application for UPVC double glazed windows for 25-78 Sir Malcolm Stewart Homes was approved.
After many, many years of campaigning together on this issue, this is a brilliant result for the residents, the Trust and Tim.

Footpaths on Hansons Reach islands – Hansons Reach residents had complained to Tim about the lack of footpaths on the “islands” in Kiln Drive. Residents wanted footpaths to make it safer to cross the “islands” and get to Broadmead Road. Tim raised the issue with Borough planners and the site developers, and he is pleased to see that footpaths have now been installed.

Land North of Stewartby, West of railway, Bedford Road, Houghton Conquest – Tim has been formally consulted on this Planning Application. It is a site that is just on the Central Beds side of the border. Tim has asked for further information, including a site plan.

Green Lane roadworks traffic lights out – Tim received complaints from residents on a Sunday afternoon that the roadworks traffic lights hadn’t been working since at least 11am that day.
Tim twice contacted A-Lux, the company managing the traffic lights, to ask when the lights will be working again.
The lady, who Tim had spoken to earlier, rang back. The person responsible never returned her calls, so she escalated it to his line manager. The line manager advised her that the person responsible would be on site by no later than 6pm.
Tim was pleased to see later that Sunday evening that the lights had been fixed.

Footpath near Sir Malcolm Stewart Homes Hall needs repairing – Tim has reported this footpath to Borough Highways as it is in a poor state.

Dropped kerb between 38-39 Sir Malcolm Stewart Homes – Tim has asked Borough Highways to install a dropped kerb at this location to help residents access the road.

Pothole outside The Crescent – Tim has asked for a large pothole outside the 1, The Crescent to be repaired.

Stewartby Way/B530 Junction Potholes – The junction is in Central Beds Council’s area. Tim has raised his concerns with Central Beds Highways about the continually re-appearing potholes at the junction. Central Beds has agreed to add the junction to their 2020/21 resurfacing programme and investigate why the potholes keep appearing.

Seating in Montgomery Close bus shelter – Local residents have asked Tim to see if some seating can be put inside the Montgomery Close bus shelter. One resident pointed out that the salt bin must be quite uncomfortable to sit on! Tim has raised the issue with the Public Transport Team at Borough Hall. The Public Transport Team is reviewing the issue to see what can be done.

Safely crossing on Stewartby Way – The residents of the Sir Malcolm Stewart Homes need to be able to safely cross Stewartby Way to get to the bus shelter by Montgomery Close. Tim had pressed for a zebra crossing, but unfortunately for land ownership reasons, that proved not to be possible. Tim has now hosted a site meeting with a Highways Officer to discuss possible alternatives to enable residents to safely get to the bus shelter by Montgomery Close. The Highways Officer is now investigating the viability of some of the alternatives, including a central refuge on Stewartby Way.

Kempston Hardwick.
Marsh Leys Road Markings – Tim had been pressing for several years for a more logical road markings scheme across the Marsh Leys roundabout. He is pleased to advise that the two important changes he pressed for have been made. Firstly, when drivers were coming from the south on the C94, the lane to go to Kempston was the left hand one! Traffic heading for Kempston was getting dangerously mixed up with traffic heading for the A421 and the A428. The lane for drivers heading for Kempston from the south is now more sensibly, the right-hand lane. Secondly, when drivers were coming from Kempston on the Maypole roundabout, the lane to go south on the C94 was the middle one! Traffic heading south via the C94, was getting dangerously mixed up with traffic coming from the A428 and going south on the A421. The lane for drivers heading south on the C94 is now more sensibly, the left-hand lane.

Pothole leaking water near Marsh Leys – There is a pothole on the C94 between the Manor Road junction and the Marsh Leys lay-by. Also, it is leaking water. Tim has asked Borough Highways to investigate why it is leaking water, repair it and then resurface the area.

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