In August 2018, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) published the ‘Garden communities: Prospectus’ to support the Garden Communities Programme. The Programme seeks to deliver purpose built, sustainable new settlements or urban extensions that are planned by local authorities and/or the private sector in consultation with the local community. In June 2019 East of Biggleswade was included in Phase 2 of MHCLG’s Garden Communities Programme.
A Garden Community is a “holistically planned new settlement which enhances the natural environment and offers high-quality affordable housing and locally accessible work in beautiful, healthy and sociable communities”. For more information, please see the Town and Country Planning Association’s ‘Garden City Principles’ here.
In 2020, CBC and our partners, including Homes England and Biggleswade Town Council, devised a set of six locally specific Garden Community Principles for East of Biggleswade, with sustainable connectivity established as a golden thread running through all of them. The six locally specific Principles were accompanied by a set of more detailed sub-principles, one of which included the principle of achieving a ‘Connected and Well Integrated Place’. The work now being undertaken to explore options for a ‘Sustainable Transport Corridor’ seeks to develop this principle in detail, promoting walking and cycling in the first instance and potentially supporting a shift to other more sustainable forms of transport in the future.
Locally specific garden community principles
Click on the image above to enlarge
What a ‘Sustainable Transport Corridor’ is and how it will improve movement
Sustainable transport refers to any form of transport that does not use or rely on dwindling natural resources in the long term, and that is accessible and available for all. Examples of Sustainable modes of transport include walking, cycling, scootering and public transportation, such as buses and trains. Electric cars do have a role to play in sustainable transport, however there are range of broader health and wellbeing benefits to reducing car use and a reduction in the overall use of cars is required on order to meet climate change commitments.
The Central Bedfordshire Sustainability Plan (2020-2030), in its ‘Active Travel and Public Transport’ section states an objective to invest in an active travel and public transport network, improving countryside access and connectivity between towns, as well as creating walking networks within town centres to encourage healthier modes of transport. More information can be found here.
At a national level, the transport sector is the highest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
A Sustainable Transport Corridor provides an accessible, high quality and attractive ‘spine’ for walking, cycling and public transport and increases connectivity between key destinations. Typically, it comprises a package of improvements to encourage more people to choose to travel by public transport or to cycle or walk, by making these journeys more convenient and therefore more desirable to users. The corridor may feature the use of dedicated shuttle buses along its length, with the possibility of accommodating autonomous buses using developments in future technology.
The adoption of a Sustainable Transport Corridor approach recognises that to encourage people to choose to leave the car at home, there needs to be a change in our approach to transport, achieved fairly and by obtaining public consent, giving people easy access to decent, clean and affordable alternatives and not to penalise car use.
The Sustainable Transport Corridor will help to improve connectivity between key destinations and prioritise an accessible and high-quality environment for walking, cycling and public transport. A Sustainable Transport Corridor typically involves a series of initiatives to encourage people to choose more sustainable modes of transport by making these journeys more convenient and pleasant, therefore increasing their attractiveness. These improvements are part of managing overall traffic demand and widening travel choice with the aim of decreasing dependence on journeys by car.
What a ‘Sustainable Transport Corridor’ means for Biggleswade’s communities
CBC and our partners commissioned Jacobs – a transport and highway consultancy - to undertake an initial feasibility study, looking into the options, opportunities and challenges of delivering a Sustainability Corridor to connect the eastern Biggleswade area with key destinations in the town, namely the High Street and Rail Station.
The Biggleswade Sustainable Transport Corridor is expected to dovetail with planned improvements to enhance the railway station forecourt, which is being appraised through a separate study, and complement other public transport schemes.
The options that Jacobs explored are illustrated below and we would like to hear your views on them.
Corridor options - click image to enlarge
There are a number of benefits that a Sustainable Transport Corridor could bring to existing and new communities in Biggleswade, from improving movement, individual’s health and wellbeing, enhancing the quality of key spaces along the corridor, and opportunities for play, improved greenery and biodiversity.
Key aims / objectives of CBC and our partners:
- Improving the ease, enjoyment and desirability of travelling to and from new development in the east of Biggleswade with the town centre and the station as well as between the new and existing communities;
- Encouraging more people to choose to cycle or walk, supporting healthy and active lifestyles and promoting mental health and wellbeing. A 20 minute walk from Biggleswade station would reach Baden Powell playground or Ivel Valley school, meeting your daily recommended activity;
- Reducing CO2 emissions, improving air quality and reducing noise pollution along the Sustainable Transport Corridor and at key junctions;
- Using a corridor approach to concentrate movement, underpinning the viability of greater public transport service frequency and reliability. High level assessment has indicated that shuttle buses running from the east of Biggleswade development to the train station could cut journey times from the current 30-40 minutes for a similar journey by bus down to approximately 12.5 minutes one way;
- Creating more child-friendly environments, enabling safer access to schools and supporting opportunities for play and recreation through active travel. 3 schools are located on the potential sustainable transport corridor routes and a fourth is within 3 minutes walk away, which would enable more children to walk or cycle to school;
- Improving access to the greenery and the attractiveness of Biggleswade. A 15 minute cycle on a safe route from Biggleswade station would take you to Biggleswade Common (east) and a network of walking routes in the countryside.
Options for the Sustainable Transport Corridor
These options have been developed through feasibility work undertaken by Jacobs. Each of the options have different challenges and possibilities, and the following tables set out the constraints and opportunities that have been identified for each of them. Any option that is taken forward would be designed to be accessible by all.
Corridor 1 – along the High Street, Hitchmead Road and Mauder Avenue
Option 1 - click image to enlarge
| Constraints | Opportunities |
| Bus stop infrastructure is poor | Improve bus stop infrastructure including shelters and improved signage / digital information |
| High st / London Rd / The Baulk Junction is very busy with poor pedestrian facilities | Placemaking and pedestrian priority on arrival into High St / Town Centre |
| Narrow residential streets (The Baulk and Hitchmead) with on street parking | Wide pavement (North side of Hitchmead Rd) potential for shared use cycle path |
| Pinch point for all modes of transport at school drop off | Provide safer crossings at the school and improve road design to remove pinch point |
| Kings Reach new development has narrow roads | Wide footways at Kings Reach could be used small shuttle uses to the town centre |
Corridor 2 – Along the High Street, Hitchmead Road and Rutherford Way Play Area
Option 2 - click image to enlarge
| Constraints | Opportunities |
| Bus stop infrastructure is poor | Improve bus stop infrastructure including shelters and improved signage / digital information |
| High st / London Rd / The Baulk Junction is very busy with poor pedestrian facilities | Placemaking and pedestrian priority on arrival into High St / Town Centre |
| Narrow residential streets (The Baulk and Hitchmead) with on street parking | Wide pavement (North side of Hitchmead Rd) potential for shared use cycle path |
| Pinch point for all modes of transport at school drop off | Provide safer crossings at the school and improve road design to remove pinch point |
| Past the school there are narrow roads and no vehicular access | Existing cycle facilities with street lighting |
| New development is not designed to have through movements to minimise car use | Wide footways in Kings Reach, potential for shared use path or space to change to use for buses |
| Provides a direct, sustainable route to Town Centre / Station |
Corridor 3 – along the High Street, London Road and Eagle Farm Road
Option 3 - click image to enlarge
| Constraints | Opportunities |
| London Road is a busy carriageway with limited cycle facilities and no bus cages | Like Corridor 1 and 2, public realm improvements on the approach to High Street and Town Centre |
| Route passes Stratton Upper School, where there is a narrow footpath with heavy vegetation | Improve facilities for Pedestrian and Cyclists, especially for school trips |
| No vehicle access past school | Wide footways around Kings Reach, these could become shared with cyclists or could be turned into small bus carriageway. Potential to increase school trips via sustainable modes. |
| The new development area has limited vehicle carriageways |
Corridor 4 – along the High Street, London Road and Chambers Way
Option 4 - click image to enlarge
| Constraints | Opportunities |
| London Road is a busy carriageway with limited cycle facilities and no bus cages | Like Corridor 1 and 2, public realm improvements on the approach to High Street and Town Centre |
| London Road has dwellings and commercial properties with frontage | Extend segregated cycle path further along London Road |
| Children’s play park is accessed on Chambers Way, where there are no pedestrian crossing facilities | Extend segregated cycle path further along Chambers Way |
| On Baden Powell Way existing bus stop infrastructure is poor, there are no shelters or seating | Chambers Way / Baden Powell Way has a large roundabout, potential for placemaking and public realm improvements |
| Baden Powell Way is a busy road with limited pedestrian crossing facilities. Speed limit changes to 40 mph from the Sorell Way roundabout | Improve bus stops infrastructure including seating, lighting and shelter |
| Wide carriageways on Baden Powell Way, space to have cycle lane, or expand footway to include shared use for cycle |
More information
Further information can be found at the following links: