Mystery over planned bus 'gate' outside Biggleswade Railway Station cleared up

A mystery surrounding a bus gate development planned for outside the railway station has been cleared up.

The issue surfaced at a Biggleswade Town Council meeting with confusion as to whether a physical barrier was intended as part of the town’s transport interchange project.

A bus gate is proposed to prevent private vehicles parking in an area near the station.

There were also concerns over how the bus gate scheme would be enforced, prompting town councillors to ask for more information from Central Bedfordshire Council about the way it would operate.

The initial correspondence from CBC’s assistant director of highways Gary Powell described the bus gate’s purpose as:

• to avoid danger to people or other traffic using the road or to prevent the likelihood of any such danger arising;
• and to facilitate the passage on the road of pedestrians, cyclists and public transport vehicles, and to prevent its use by other traffic.

“A traffic order for ‘No entry except buses’ would be introduced at the interchange in Station Road,” he said.

Town councillor David Albone asked if the issue had resolved itself at the latest town council meeting, saying: “I inquired about the bus gateway (last time). I notice it’s not on the agenda when it was due back at this meeting.

“I wonder if it even needs to be looked at again now. It’s pretty much in the past.”

Mayor Mark Foster agreed, adding: “I think it’s resolved, and you’re right to raise it again. Are members happy for it not to come back given the information that we now have, or do you feel it’s appropriate to reconsider it at a subsequent meeting?”

Town councillor Madeline Russell explained: “We were told it’s signage, not a physical gate, which is what some of us were concerned about. I don’t think we need to do anything further at this stage.”

She inquired last month whether it would be rising bollards, warning: “It would be very intrusive if enforced by cameras or cumbersome if it’s an actual gate. If it’s signage and white lines, there’s the enforcement issue.”

Deputy mayor Mark Knight said previously: “This wasn’t part of the original (interchange) design. The name gate suggests some physical barrier.”

And town councillor Duncan Strachan had suggested: “Bus gate is a phrase planners might be aware of, but the rest of the population comprising 99.9 per cent of it wouldn’t have a clue.”

CBC Independent Biggleswade West councillor Hayley Whitaker had attempted to provide some clarity by saying: “If people start parking in that area, it would stop any buses accessing the station. That’s the rationale for doing it. You’re right in that it’s not an actual gate.”

The project will be considered at a CBC traffic management meeting in due course.