"Someone’s going to get killed" councillor's stark warning in call for underpass for A1 at Biggleswade

Residents have for years risked their lives crossing the road from Tingey’s Corner or footpath seven, which links the town centre to Upper Caldecote and Northill.

The route is dangerous for anyone with disabilities or accompanying children, according to local campaigners. The issue was discussed at a Biggleswade Town Council meeting.

National Highways and Central Bedfordshire Council have yet to produce a plan for resolving these risks, Conservative Northill councillor Paul Daniels suggested.

BTC agreed in 2023 to support the idea for an underpass, and councillor Daniels asked for its backing again to set up a working party to tackle the problem.

“If we don’t get a sustainable crossing by footpath seven, I don’t say this lightly, someone’s going to get killed,” he warned.

“Employers on the Woodlands estate are sending buses into Biggleswade to bring their employees a long way round, when they could simply cross the A1 safely.

“The parish council wants to form a campaigning team with BTC to work together on this issue. If another application is submitted, we can liaise with the (Woodlands) developer. There’s never been a better time to create a sustainable underpass access into Biggleswade from west of the A1.

“The footpath seven crossing is miraculously located on the most direct route from Woodlands and Upper Caldecot, enabling safe access to Biggleswade on the east side.

“An underpass hasn’t been costed or a survey done by any agency. National Highways has no interest in that east-west connectivity. CBC has for decades had no plan to solve this problem.”

Mike Wells, from Ickwell, explained: “A bridge would be very high with a long detour and would need much longer ramps, which are indirect.

“The underpass is a relatively small project. The developer has offered £3m towards it. Conservative North Bedfordshire MP Richard Fuller has offered to find more from government.

“It gets people coming into Biggleswade on foot or cycling through the town centre and should have a good impact for businesses. We want it considered as a separate issue to the major A1 upgrades.

“If it gets linked to that, we’re all going to be dead. It certainly won’t happen in my lifetime.”

Mayor Mark Foster said: “Broadly we’ve been supportive of an underpass previously. It’s ‘what’s the next stage now?’ for the formal arrangement between the two councils.”

Town councillor David Albone said later in the meeting: “We should reiterate our support for the underpass to Northill as we did before.

“An Active Travel England report says a crossing should be safe, direct, convenient and accessible for anyone with disabilities. The proposed bridge would take people 600m out of their way. An underpass would be the preferred option of most residents.”

Town councillor Duncan Strachan added: “The respective clerks can get in contact to arrange a meeting for officers and two members of each council.” Councillors unanimously agreed these arrangements.