Following is an update on SG19 Road Safety Group Activiites over the last few weeks, your views are required and welcomed.
Much has been happening behind the scenes:
We have:
Updated and revised our website so that anyone visiting www.sg19.org can see, amongst other things, those roads in the SG19 area our members and residents have highlighted as giving cause for concern. Please take a look for yourself to make sure your own views are added to reinforce the points made.
We have:
Been involved with the establishment of the Sandy Speedwatch scheme with some of our members attending the initial training sessions. One or two members have so far been able to assist in manning the roadside equipment monitoring speeds on local roads and we intend to remain involved with this worthwhile local initiative. If you feel your road needs monitoring, please let us know by e-mail:- admin@sg19.org – and we will put you in touch with the local organisers. If you can help, more volunteers are needed to meet the demands so, again, please let us know. Full training is given and the sessions are roughly two hours each but with more volunteers adjustments can be made.
We have:
Taken a video of the challenges faced by large HGVs using the roads in the SG19 area highlighting that the local road network is inadequate and has not grown to meet the challenges facing it with the volume of traffic now trying to share it. The Group is NOT anti lorry and recognises how we rely on HGVs to deliver the goods and services we take for granted in our lives. Please take a look at the video for yourself on our website and you will, no doubt, share our concerns, as does our MP, Alistair Burt.
We are indebted to Dave Stratton of Amorco Transport of Bedford for making an HGV available to us and to Tony Goss for so ably driving it for us. (We chose a quiet time of day at a weekend and great care was exercised throughout with all manoeuvres strictly within those allowed by the signage and Highway Code.)
We have:
Met our MP, Alistair Burt, with the Highways Agency (HA) to discuss our specific concerns with the A1. We remain of the view that we need average speed cameras to reduce the traffic speeding through Beeston and Sandy so making our local road junctions with it less dangerous. We remain of the view that improvements are needed to the local roads and these are the responsibility of Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC). Alistair Burt has agreed to liaise with CBC on our behalf and we look forward to meeting them, with him, on behalf of our members and the residents of Sandy in the not too distant future.
We have:
Written to CBC to point out that to erect road signs to direct traffic for the town centre from the A1 at London Road up West Road and then on to St Neots Road to be “inappropriate”. We are awaiting confirmation that this plan – reported to us by the HA - has finally been shelved. Please write to your local CBC Councillor if you agree that this would be a retrograde step.
We have:
Been stressing the need for a no-u-turn sign to be erected at the junction of New Road with the A1 to prevent northbound traffic u-turning into the southbound carriageway. Been stressing the need for a ban on HGV’s (not cars) turning through the central reservation in either direction at this junction. Been stressing the need to remove the misleading sign on the A1 directing traffic for Sandy into London Road….only for it to rejoin the A1 just north of the roundabout unless ‘in the know’ as a resident.
We have:
Met with the Buckden and Southoe Road Safety Group with a view to restoring the plans for a proper bypass – originally mooted many years ago to run from Alconbury to Baldock - to the current planning process within the HA. We will be keeping in contact with them to ensure the joint approach to the HA works to the greatest effect.
We have:
Been joined by Michael Scott, a long standing councillor on Sandy Town Council and, as a resident of Seddington, someone who has a close interest in the A1 and all matters relating to road safety in our area.
We have:
Chosen the morning of 4th October to be in and around Sandy Market Place with copies of the Petition for anyone who has yet to sign it to do so. We very much hope we can have volunteers to help, please, if only for an hour. If you can help, please e-mail me: Stephen@stephenallen.co.uk
We have:
Set the date for our first Annual General Meeting. This will be for members only and will be held at the Conservative Club (Bowls Pavilion) at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 22nd October 2014.
Our initial Constitution allowed for the Group being a ‘start-up’, so to speak, for the first year and now we are established we can take the opportunity to design how we work for the next twelve months. We have had one draft of suggestions and this is available for viewing on request.
In the meantime, please take a fresh look at our website and let us have your views by e-mailing me – as above – or writing to me at 27 Cambridge Road Sandy SG19 1JF.
Stephen Allen
Chairman
SG19 Road Safety Group 28.09.2014