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Towns Fund: Pedestrian and Cycling Infrastructure

Project value: £3.12m

Project theme: transport

Bedford currently suffers from high levels of traffic congestion, creating pinch points that impede accessibility and active travel. The surrounding settlements, particularly the most deprived areas, contain a shortage of pedestrian and cycle routes to Bedford town centre and to employment and recreational sites. The eight projects selected to deliver active travel infrastructure that would link populated residential areas, with connecting infrastructure to the town centre and Bedford Station. The projects were determined the best value to deliver the highest outputs, within the town deal wider funding envelope.    

The investment will include:

  • Delivering improvements at Barker’s Lane roundabout including widening the cycling path at the turn by the allotments to allow safer cornering for cyclists and replacing the existing splitter island at the roundabout with a parallel zebra crossing.
  • Improvements to the Green Wheel route in Brickhill to provide a more comprehensive offline route by siding out the footway on both sides, installing timber bollards and reducing the level of the kerbs.
  • Installation of wayfinding signs and lighting at the offline cycle route at Mowbray Walk as well as a new staggered toucan crossing.
  • Construction of a new 3m wide pedestrian and cycle link to Bedford Station from Beverley Crescent, Hurst Grove and Westfield Drive. The scheme will also upgrade the existing Bromham Road junction by removing the uncontrolled crossing and traffic island and replacing this with signal controlled with parallel cycle crossings.
  • Widening the footways, implementing two new zebra crossings and installing a new 1.5m wide segregated cycle lane at the Castle Road Gyratory.
  • Infrastructure and amenity improvements to the route between Bedford Station and Bedford Bus Station located on Woburn Road and Alexandra Road. This will comprise resurfacing of the carriageway and footway, kerb relevelling, new street lighting and improvements to the signage.
  • Installation of a new 1.5m wide carriageway cycleway and four uncontrolled crossing points at the Rothsay Road Gyratory
  • A part funding contribution to support a project for crossing improvements at the junction with Harpur Street, and a protected cycle path on Dame Alice Street.
The enhancements will provide greater walking and cycling connectivity around Bedford, including between nearby settlements and routes to employment sites, recreational space and the town centre. It will present a safer means of travelling around and into town for cyclists and pedestrians who will be able to use mostly traffic free routes. The outcomes of the project will include an increase in the number of people participating in active travel and an enhanced town centre experience that prioritises the health, safety and mobility of walkers and cyclists.

View the project plans: