New cycle route and pathway in Leighton Buzzard blasted as waste of public money

Angry residents have blasted a scheme to create a new cycle route and pathway in Leighton Buzzard as a waste of taxpayers’ money.

And motorists are ‘seeing red’ after a seven-way road traffic control system was installed in Heath Road, saying it is creating long delays, particularly during peak morning and afternoon rush hour traffic.

This was later reduced to a five-way system.

The work, along a 200-yard stretch of one of the town’s busiest roads, involves narrowing the road between Kemsley Drive and Heath Park Road and widening the pathway to ‘create a safer route for pedestrians and cyclists’.

Central Beds Council says it’s aiming to encourage more people to ditch their cars in favour of walking or cycling.

But one Heath Road resident said: "This work is not a priority; spending some of it on filling in potholes properly would have been welcomed by our community, many of whom are struggling to pay their rates bills which have just landed on their door mats."

And residents argue that very few people use the existing path in Heath Road and question why it needs digging up and widening with money better spent on other improvements including repairing pot holes in Church Street.

Central Beds Council says the project was endorsed by residents during a consultation in March 2021, and is aimed at promoting sustainability, tackling climate change and supporting residents to live more active lives.

Reducing the width of the carriageway is also intended to help manage traffic speeds on a straight section of road that serves two lower schools.

A Central Bedfordshire Council spokesperson said: “We secured government Active Travel Funding for this walking and cycling route and the funding must be used for this active travel scheme which residents endorsed during our consultation.

“This active travel scheme will make it easier for residents to travel on foot or by bike to schools, play areas, and other local facilities and this will support their health and wellbeing. It promotes sustainability, helps tackle climate change and will support residents to live more active lives.

“The reduced width of the carriageway will also help manage traffic speeds on a straight section of road that serves two popular local lower schools.

“We are using traffic signals to keep the road open during the works and we apologise for the inconvenience.”

Cllr Steven Dixon, executive member for sustainability and public protection at CBC, said: “The government has set a target that 50 per cent of local trips in our towns should be walked, scooted, or cycled by 2030.

“Sustainable active travel offers significant benefits for health and wellbeing and has a positive impact on our environment as we strive to reduce carbon emissions and play our part in addressing the climate change.”

The roadworks come less than a year after extensive work to repair damaged water pipes five metres under the road surface, the installation of gas pipes and Openreach work installing fibre optic cabling to households.

It will take CBC’s highways contractor, Milestone Infrastructure, about four months to complete the work.

CBC carried out community engagement on Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans, and has plans for an enhanced cycling and walking network in Leighton Linslade.