East West Rail: Petition objects to proposed multi-storey car park in Bedford's Queen's Park
A petition objecting to plans for a new multi-storey car park in Queen’s Park as part of the East West Rail development has been signed by 692 people.
It was presented to a meeting of Bedford Borough Council on Wednesday (February 4) by Labour councillors representing Queen’s Park.
It raises concerns over the location of the proposed car park, increased traffic and pollution and lack of communication – with one councillor saying it “simply would not work”.
Councillor Nesreen Akhtar called on the council’s executive to oppose the construction of a multi-storey car park in Queen’s Park unless there were fully funded traffic mitigation measures, agreed in consultation with the council and residents; clear infrastructure benefits for Queen’s Park; and significant investment in traffic management and transport infrastructure within Queens Park and the surrounding area, including Ashburnham Road.
The motion also called on the executive to write to David Hughes, chief executive of EWR, requesting traffic modelling and the rationale for relocating the multi-storey car park, and to formally register the council’s objection to the proposed site.
It also asked EWR whether smaller car parks with fewer floors, or multiple car parks on either side of the station, were considered as alternatives to mitigate visual and traffic impact.
The motion added Queen’s Park councillors were not notified or consulted about the multi-storey car park proposal prior to publication of the ‘You Said, We Did’ report, despite the Western Entrance and car park directly affecting their ward.
Seconding the motion, which was carried unanimously, councillor Mohammed Masud pointed out there were plans for further 600 new homes in Queen's Park next to the proposed car park, which would mean an increase in traffic, and that residents were already fed up with congestion in this area.
Councillor Masud said: “The addition of a multi-storey car park for the new station would bring more cars into the area and would result in gridlock. Siting the car park here is just not practical, and if EWR had consulted with us as local councillors we could have warned them this idea simply would not work.”
Councillor Zara Layne added: “Councillors for Harpur Ward strongly support the Motion and the concerns raised about threats to road safety, impacts on air quality and the poor levels of engagement from EWR with residents and their representatives.”
Natalie Wheble, external affairs director at East West Railway Company, said: “Relocating the proposed new multi-storey car park to Ford End Road from Ashburnham Road will reduce the visual impact for those residents who live close to the station.
"The relocation of the car park also complements our more ambitious plans to redevelop Bedford station which will ensure the station can deliver the much-needed extra capacity to meet rising passenger demands. Our designs for a Ford End Road multi-storey will, of course, also take account of extensive traffic modelling work which is currently being assessed.
“We continue to hold regular meetings with Bedford Borough Council and we'll also be holding a series of design update sessions in Bedford later this month, which will allow the public and stakeholders to discuss our plans with our team of experts. When our Consultation launches in the spring, we will again return to Bedford to present our latest designs and invite feedback on our proposals.”