New Woburn Street Zebra Crossing

As part of Central Bedfordshire’s Safer Routes to School’ programme, a scheme has been developed to improve and facilitate the crossing of Woburn Street, Ampthill through the implementation of a raised zebra crossing. This will be constructed during the school half-term recess commencing 13th February.

The scheme will particularly help pedestrians travelling form the northern part of Ampthill to The Firs Lower and Alameda Middle schools. The scheme will also see an extension to the 20 mph zone, footway widening and parking restrictions around the Russet Close/Woburn Street junction. The implementation of the scheme has been coordinated to align with the resurfacing works on Woburn Street.

Getting Ready for Winter

Ampthill has twelve salt bins and salt from these bins should only be used by residents to salt the road and if necessary any footways in the immediate vicinities and should only be used on roads that are not covered by Highways during the normal salting runs.  

Any additional salting of routes already covered by Highways could result in the road turning greasy and more dangerous. Should any major roads need further attention residents should contact the Highways helpdesk on 0300 300 8049 who will raise an enquiry through to the Winter Maintenance team who will attend and then decide if further salt needs to be laid.
 
In a large majority of cases especially early in the mornings major roads may appear as though they have not been salted and this will be due to the time at which salt has been laid and the minimal traffic flow that has occurred since. Salt has to be driven over to take any effect on any laid snow/ice.  
 
Salting updates along with school closure details are available via Central Bedfordshire Council's website and residents can register to receive these by visiting www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/webApps/SOS/HDEReportView.aspx

Ampthill Open Gardens

Part of the 2012 Ampthill Festival

Calling all Ampthill Gardeners!

Thinking about getting out in the garden for a tidy up?
Anxious to get going on new borders or beds?
Wondering about redesigning?
Ploughing through seed and plant catalogues?

Then you must really enjoy your garden! So why not share your love of gardens and gardening and join in this summer's Ampthill Open Gardens on SUNDAY 24 JUNE?

Last year 15 gardens opened to the public and around 300 people came to visit. This will be the third year we have run the event and we are keen to include some new gardens - the only stipulation is that you are a resident of Ampthill. Your garden doesn't have to be big and beautiful - just interesting! It can be any shape or size with any style of planting.

If you are interested, contact Angie Murdoch on 01525 403065 (mobile 07736 452131) or email to angiemurdoch@virginmedia.com as soon as possible or by the end of February at the latest.

Love to sing? Ampthill Rock Choir is recruiting!

Nationwide phenomenon Rock Choir is now available in Ampthill. Open to singers of all ages and abilities, there is no audition and no requirement to read music. To find out more and to book your free taster session, visit www.rockchoir.com

New mobile CCTV coming to a street near you

Three new mobile CCTV vehicles will start patrolling the streets of Central Bedfordshire as high tech rolling cameras are being used to crack down on illegally parked vehicles, and help improve safety in and around problem areas.

Launching during November 2011, the innovative form of parking enforcement works by taking a wider area image of a street and through collecting the registration numbers of those vehicles parked illegally, it can automatically process the owner's information and immediately create a Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) for offenders. The PCN is then sent through the post directly to the registered owner/keeper of the vehicle - saving time and money.
 
The camera vehicles will be used to target problem areas such as outside schools, but will also provide effective enforcement for other areas including, yellow lines, bus stops and bus lanes.

 Ampthill Festival DVD's

The DVD's are available from Moonspirit and from www.ampthill.tv

Covanta Incinerator Given Go Ahead

Central Beds Council are requesting their legal advisors examine the IPC process with a fine toothcomb for a possible non adherence to the process, in order that they can instigate a judicial review. If you felt that the IPC were obstructive or that the process failed in some way. Please email your comments to alan.fleming@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk.

If you would like Marston Moreteyne Action Group to keep a record of your comments for others to view- please add them to http://mmetag.wordpress.com/covanta-proposal/ipc-process-comments-page/. Your email details will not be shown and if you wish you could mark your comments as 'Local Resident' if you do not want your name published.

Nicola Ryan-Raine
MMAG (Marston Moreteyne Action Group)
www.mmetag.com

Friday, 14 October (Press Release)

The Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) has announced that the American waste management firm, Covanta, has been granted a Development Consent Order (DCO) to build an Energy from Waste Facility at the former Rookery Clay Pit,  at Stewartby, in the heart of rural Central Bedfordshire.
 
The incinerator, which will burn around 585,000 tonnes of waste and generate 65 MW of electricity a year, is so large that the application by-passed the local planning system. The application is the first to be considered by the IPC, and could be the only one to be determined by them, before power passes to the accountable government Minister.
 
The consent has been granted in the face of widespread local opposition and despite being contrary to local planning policies which have been subject to lengthy consultation and examination.
 
An Environmental Permit still has to be obtained by Covanta from the Environment Agency before the incinerator can operate to ensure it complies with environmental legislation.
 
Parish/Central Beds Cllr Sue Clark, who led the Town and Parish Councils' opposition said: 'This is a very sad day for the Marston Vale. It represents an enormous backwards step for the Vale, where life has improved immeasurably since the closure of the brickworks and Brogborough Landfill site. Now we face the unwelcome prospect of a return to the importation of huge quantities of waste into Central Bedfordshire, and a re-industrialisation of the Vale.
 
It is particularly frustrating that, even though the IPC recognised the size and scale of the incinerator as a 'major disbenefit' describing the visual effect as 'overwhelming' at close quarters, they still decided the national need for electricity production was more important.
 
We had a number of issues with the IPC process, which we felt was difficult for members of the public to follow, lacked transparency, and was too heavily based on written, rather than cross examined, evidence. More opportunity should be provided for local evidence to be heard, and for opposing parties to challenge the evidence produced by the applicant.'

Contact: Sue Clark 01234752672, 07875191978, clarksue.h@gmail.com 

Katherine's House Weekend Parking - Due to building works at Aragon Housing Association's Katherine's House, Dunstable Street there will be no public parking available at their car park weekends and bank holidays between 22nd August 2011 and mid February 2012.

Once building works are completed the car parking signs will be reinstated at the junction of Dunstable Street/Chandos Road.

New 101 Non-Emergency Number

Bedfordshire Police have launched a new number providing people with a new way to get in touch about non-emergency issues. 101 is now the main number to call Bedfordshire Police when it is less urgent than 999

As well as making the police more accessible to communities, it is intended that 101 will reduce the number of inappropriate 999 calls. There will be a single flat charge of 15p per call, regardless of the duration, time of day, mobile or landline.

You should call 101 to report crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response. For example:

• Stolen cars
• If you suspect drug dealing/taking
• To give us information about crime in your area
• To speak to your Local Policing Team

In an emergency, always call 999 when you need an immediate response, For example:

• Because a crime is in progress
• Someone suspected of a crime is nearby
• When there is danger to life
• When violence is being used or threatened

101 will not:

• Change the way in which we respond to non emergency calls
• Connect people to a large national call centre
• Result in calls receiving a lower priority than if 999 had been called for a non emergency issue

101 should not be used to report:

• Fly tipping
• Noise pollution
• Stray dogs

These should initially be reported to your local council:

• Central Bedfordshire Council: 0300 300 8000
  

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Get  information posted on the Ampthill Notice Board by emailing mark.a.smith@ampthill.org.uk