Long-awaited new Shuttleworth road honours retired professor

The new entrance will remove traffic from Old Warden and improve safety
Alder Drive (PIC: Darren Harbar Photography)Alder Drive (PIC: Darren Harbar Photography)
Alder Drive (PIC: Darren Harbar Photography)

A new permanent entrance for Shuttleworth College and Visitor Attraction opened on Wednesday (July 7).

At the same time, College Road that currently crosses the runway has now been permanently closed.

The new road is named Alder Drive in honour of Professor Mike Alder, who recently retired from the Board of Trustees after 30 years as a driving force for Shuttleworth College and a guiding hand for the Trust.

The 1.2mile long road has been sown with wild flowers, and 16,310 hedge plant saplings have been planted to provide protection and enhance biodiversity.

It will remove the bulk of traffic from Old Warden village and improve the safety of air operations by allowing the removal of the road across the runway.

The road forms a new entrance from the B658 Shefford Road, half a mile west of the existing College Road.

The highway has been widened to accommodate the traffic.

Shuttleworth Executive Director Rebecca Dalley said: ”The road has been a long time coming and we’re delighted to reduce the risk to our flying operations.

“This is an appropriate new entrance to Shuttleworth that provides a stunning vista of the agricultural Bedfordshire landscape before framing Shuttleworth House and Old Warden Park.”

Alder Drive will be the new permanent main entrance for the Shuttleworth Collection and Swiss Garden, Air Shows and events, and Shuttleworth College for all visitor, staff and delivery traffic.