Mayor Announces Major Decongestion Scheme for Bedford Town Centre Roads

Mayor Dave Hodgson has announced 'Transporting Bedford 2020', an £18 million investment in tackling traffic congestion across Bedford town centre.

Major works will take place at key points in the Bedford road network to reduce congestion, with the key schemes as follows:

1. Manton Lane / Clapham Road & Great Ouse Way: Introduction of traffic lights and linking existing Manton Lane lights to control the flow of traffic and reduce congestion. Increasing capacity at Great Ouse Way (new bypass) junction.
2. Ashburnham Road / Shakespeare Road / Bromham Road: Introducing a traffic light junction to replace the mini roundabouts.
3. Britannia Road / Ampthill Road / Kempston Road: Traffic light modifications to increase capacity for vehicles.
4. Cow Bridge (Ampthill Road): Additional pedestrian/cycle bridges over the railway to increase road space and capacity for vehicles.
5. Cauldwell Street / St. John's Street: Modifications and traffic signal modifications to improve capacity.
6. Ampthill Road: Introduction of a 'Smart Corridor' using the latest technology to assess traffic volumes linked to traffic signal controllers to reduce congestion and manage the flow of traffic.

7. High Street and Town Centre: Major refurbishment of High Street creating more space for shoppers by reducing traffic to one lane with parking spaces for deliveries to keep traffic moving. Alongside improvements to St Paul's Square this will give a significant boost to our thriving town centre economy.

A number of other traffic signalled junctions will be modernised and the town's urban traffic management and control system - which controls all the traffic lights across the town - will receive a major overhaul.

Mayor Dave Hodgson said "Never before has so much money been invested in our town centre roads and work will see targeted works to tackle congestion at key traffic hotspots. This will cut congestion, improve safety for all road users and significantly boost the local economy. I want everyone to get involved in this major project to deliver real improvements to our roads so please visit our website to find out more and give us your thoughts."

All road users will benefit, including pedestrians and cyclists. Additional pedestrian and cycling bridges at Cow Bridge junction will make it easier and safer for pedestrians and cyclists to use this route, while increasing capacity for cars and other vehicles and so reducing congestion.

The announcement follows confirmation that the Council's bid for Government funding was successful, after winning the support of the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership.

Plans will be finalised in the coming months with works beginning next year and expected to continue to 2021. To find out more about the plans and to give your views, visit www.bedford.gov.uk/transportingbedford2020