Year 27 - 2018/19

The year was a major turning point for cycling and cycling campaigning in Bedford. The end of July saw the departure from Bedford borough Council of Patrick Lingwood, Cycling and Walking Officer, to Oxford County Council as well as the retirement of a number of senior officers involved in highways. Patrick’s departure led to the disbanding of the Bedford Cycle Strategy Group which had held quarterly meetings every year since 1994 involving CCNB, CTC (now Cycling UK) and a number of Borough Officers. This move left a big hole for the future of cycling projects. The major campaign issue of the year was the proposal by Network Rail during April to rebuild the Bromham Road railway bridge to give increased height for the electrification of the Midland Mainline. The design did not include any cycle provision, an outstanding project since the late 1990s which had been waiting for just an opportunity. As a result of objections by CCNB members and others a public inquiry was called and took place in February where CCNB was the major objector. However shortly after the inquiry ended Network Rail submitted a planning application to the Borough hich was approved by their Planning Committee to rebuild the bridge to the initial plans. Due to this action the eventual report of the public inquiry omitted any conclusions on the bridge and solely dealt with a minor matter north of Bedford. All the extensive work and time put into the inquiry by CCNB to include cycle infrastructure was wasted. The Borough has promised to install a separate cycle bridge sometime in the future.

CCNB published its first Cyczine on the ’Climate Emergency’ to encourage residents to use sustainable transport wherever possible and in particular cycling.