Questions over Arlesey relief road changes answered in drop in sessions

As work continues on Arlesey's relief road, residents turned out to a drop in session in the town to find out more about the plans.

Work on the road started in the Spring of 2022 and is expected to take around 18 months – with the works on the road, bridge and cycleway all expected to be completed towards the end of 2023.

Residents who attended the session wanted to know if delays to work in May meant that High Street closures in Arlesey would be extended.

The council says there were currently “no plans” to extend the closure – but added: “however the dates may change due to unforeseen circumstances such as extreme weather conditions. We will provide updates if there are any alterations to the traffic management measures or their timings”. It also pledged that residents living adjacent to the High Street would be informed in writing of planned road closures – and thanked people for their patience during the ‘significant’ inconvenience of the High Street closure.

Other questions from residents to developers and Central Bedfordshire Council included how the scheme would impact on the environment and why a junction had been changed from a roundabout to traffic signals.

A council spokesman said: “During the design process, designers undertook an options study for various solutions to the High Street, including a mini double, roundabout, elongated roundabout and signalised junction.

“There is insufficient land available to install either type of roundabout without losing land identified in the Chase Farm masterplan. Also, the study showed it would be difficult to achieve the correct entry angles and separation from High Street south and Goodwin Drive.

“The signalised junction solution also enabled us to include better crossing facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. None of the other options worked satisfactorily in terms of performance.”

In answer to ecological damage along Arlesey High Street and the Chase Hill Woods area as well as the Etonbury Woods end, residents were told more trees would be planted.

The spokesman said: “An important part of this project has involved work with the Countryside Access team, conservation and biodiversity officers to plant native woodland trees and woodland edge shrubs where previously many of the trees were of poor health or diseased (e.g. Ash dieback).”

And the council added that it was hoping to reopen the footpath through the woods as soon as work was completed, with surfacing made good and the streetlight replaced.

Residents were also told that double yellow lines will be installed on High Street to prevent queuing near the traffic lights.

But residents raising concerns about noise from the works on residents around the Goodwin Road/High Street junction were told the sound levels were regularly monitored and in line with council regulations.

A permanent sound barrier will be installed to the rear garden fences on properties to the north of Lewis Lane, however.

Central Beds Council also said it was looking to schedule a further drop in event for questions to be answered – this time to be held in the evening.

You can find more of the council’s answers online here.