The Bromham Road bridge now open to all Traffic
[Post dated: 13 June 2000]
Category Archives: Photos
Biddenham past
Some 18 new pictures have been added to our collection of pictures from years now long gone by.
They begin with four pictures of the village church, one showing, we believe, the church decorated for Christmas in a style similar to that which has been seen in an old photograph of a church in Hampshire.
They include these pictures (and who is the horse rider we wonder):
Bedford Tigers v Bedford Queens – Saturday, 20 April, Kings Field Sports and Community Centre, Biddenham
Bedford Tigers (Rugby League) will be playing Bedford Queens (Rugby Union) in a charity match on Saturday, 20 April 2019, kick off at 2.00 pm, at the Kings Field Sports and Community Centre, Biddenham.
One half of the match will be played with League code rules and the other with Union code rules.
Photo courtesy of Gary Ingerson, Rocket Brand Communications
Bedford Tigers v Luton – Sunday 22 April, Kingsfield Sports & Community Club
Bedford Tigers, despite a lack lustre 1st half, came back to win the match!
Final score was a win for the Tigers 52 – Luton 42 !
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The game is Rugby but more specifically Rugby League – if you haven’t seen it live come down and have a look. Game starts at 2:30pm.
The teams involved are Bedford Tigers and Luton Vipers (Two adult teams that play in the East of England league).The Bedford Cup is an annual season opener and the new feature is that the cup has been donated in memory of Lesley Ashton who sadly passed last year and was a popular teacher over many years in the Bedford area.
Following the cup game there will be a set of fixtures starting on 5th May and we will publish the fixture list separately.
This will include games against teams from Milton Keynes, St Albans, Hemel Hempstead, St Ives, Southend, Brentwood, Hitchin/North Herts and Luton. There will also Under 14 and Under 16 activities and games each week.If you love Rugby please come down. Watch the game, have a sit and a cup of tea or a beer and enjoy the fresh air. There is no entry fee.
[The ground is located at the Biddenham end of the bypass]
click photo below
Photos, courtesy Gary Ingerson [Rocket Brand Communication]
New Roundabout on the Bromham Road? …
maybe not, but a good view of (& from) the old Golf Club!
A P P L IC A T IO N N o 2 0 / 0 2 7 6 1 / F U L T Y P E : F u ll P la n n in g A p p lic a t io n
P R O P O S A L : D e v e lo p m e n t o f n e w r o u n d a b o u t o n B r o m h a m R o a d , t o r e p la c e t h e a p p r o v e d r ig h t h a n d t u r n la n e a n d g h o s t is la n d a p p r o v e d u n d e r 0 1 / 0 2 1 9 9 / E IA
L O C A T IO N : L a n d A t F o r m e r O u s e V a lle y G o lf C lu b B r o m h a m R o a d B id d e n h a m B e d f o r d s h ir e
1 . V e h ic u la r
a ) T h e u p d a te d T ra n s p o rt S ta te m e n t is in a d e q u a te . It le a n s o n th e p re v io u s s tu d y p e rfo rm e d in 2 0 1 4 b a s e d u p o n e s t im a t e s a n d s u p p o s it io n a s t o t h e im p a c t o f t h e G re a t O u s e W a y
(o p e n e d s u b s e q u e n tly in O c to b e r 2 0 1 4 ) a n d o th e r re s id e n tia l d e v e lo p m e n ts in th e a re a .
(Transport Statement 2020 section 2.1 states, “existing highway network… remains unchanged”).
A n e c d o t a l e v id e n c e s u g g e s t s t h e e x p e c t e d r e d u c t io n in t r a ffic a lo n g t h e B r o m h a m R o a d h a s n o t m a t e r ia lis e d . A d e t a ile d p h y s ic a l s t u d y o f t r a ffic flo w s t h a t n o w e x is t is n e c e s s a r y . T h e q u e u in g o f v e h ic le s d u rin g p e a k h o u rs o n th e b y p a s s h a s le d to v e h ic le s u s in g th e B ro m h a m Road (and likely any proposed development link road) as “rat-runs” with excess speed when p o s s ib le a n d s ig n if ic a n t q u e u in g ( w it h a s s o c ia t e d p o llu t io n ) a t p e a k h o u r s s t ill a lo n g – t e r m
c h a ra c te ris tic o f th e a re a . T h is is p rio r to th e a d d itio n o f th o s e th a t w ill b e h o u s e d a n d
c o n n e c te d o n th e la te s t p h a s e o f d e v e lo p m e n t.
T h e e x is t in g B r o m h a m R o a d is w it h in a 3 0 – m p h z o n e , t h o u g h d u e t o p e r s is t e n t a b u s e o f t h a t lim it re c e n t re p re s e n t a t io n s w e re m a d e b y u s (a n d re je c t e d ) t o in c re a s e t h a t lim it t o
4 0 m p h . C o n s e q u e n tly , b e tte r e ffo rts m u s t b e m a d e to p ro v id e c la rity o f th e lim it to d riv e rs ( n o t a b ly im p r o v in g t h e a lm o s t n o n – e x is t e n t s p e e d lim it s ig n a g e ) . A d d it io n a lly , m a k in g t h e e n try a n d e x it p o in ts to th e ro u n d a b o u t m o re a c u te b y lo c a tin g it fu rth e r in to th e
d e v e lo p m e n t la n d w o u ld b e a g o o d w a y to c a lm tra ffic s p e e d s .
b ) A s t h e r o u n d a b o u t w i l l s e r v e e x i s t i n g a n d a d d i t i o n a l n e w r e s i d e n t s , i n c r e a si n g t h e f e e l i n g t h a t t h is is a r e s id e n t ia l a r e a , it w o u ld b e a p p r o p r ia t e t o im p o s e s iz e a n d w e ig h t r e s t r ic t io n s on Heavy Goods Vehicles “except for access”. So, brewery deliveries and X5 coaches could
s t i l l b e p e r m i t t e d , b u t o t h e r H G V s t r a v e l l i n g t o d e s t in a t i o n s f u r t h e r a f i e l d s h o u l d b e d i r e c t e d to use the Great Ouse Way.
c) Please could any surface or re-surfacing utilise modern low noise materials to reduce the noise level of passing traffic.
2 . P e d e s t r ia n
T h e a p p l i c a t i o n fo r F u l l P l a n n i n g P e r m i s s i o n s e c t i o n 5 . 3 0 s u g g e s t s e n h a n c e m e n t o f b o t h pedestrian routes and facilities. None is specified. The statement focuses on the
development, but not how it is connected to the existing environment. For example, at or near the roundabout there is no facility to cross the Bromham Road safely for a pedestrian from the existing Biddenham village.
T h e e x i s t i n g s u b – s t a n d a r d p a t h a n d k e r b s h o u l d b e b r o u g h t u p t o a s a fe r m o d e r n s t a n d a r d .
3 . C y c lin g
T h e a p p l i c a t i o n fo r F u l l P l a n n i n g P e r m i s s i o n s e c t i o n 5 . 3 2 m a k e s n o s t a t e d e f f o r t t o i m p r o v e
DEVELOPER PLANS 300 HOUSES TO GRAB MOST OF THE FARMLAND WEST OF GOLD LANE
DEVELOPER PLANS 300 HOUSES TO GRAB MOST OF THE FARMLAND WEST OF GOLD LANE
On 31st October 2017 a meeting was held between interested parties and the proposed developers of a modest area of farmland west of Gold Lane bounded by Gold Lane to the east, Bromham Road to the north and Duck End Lane to the south, on which the local authority had suggested 160 dwellings would be appropriate. Those attending included local councillors, the Parish Council and Friends of Biddenham Pond as well as the Biddenham Society. The developers Curtin and Co. were accompanied by a representative from Lioncourt Strategic Land.
The Biddenham representatives were astonished instead to be confronted with a plan for 300 houses covering an area nearly four times that provisionally suggested by the local authority as appropriate. Houses would completely surround Duck End Lane as far south as the village pond, and extend west to the footpath between the church and the Bromham bypass. Whilst the developers insisted the plans presented were only ‘Work in progress’ it was very clear that any adverse views expressed would make no difference to the overall size of the scheme proposed.
The developer’s tactics were seen by all present as a flagrant attempt to grab most of our remaining open space for the pecuniary gain of themselves and the landowners, and without any regard for the effects on the village and its residents. Our unanimous opposition was made clear, and in a subsequent private discussion the next course of action to be taken to prevent the proposed development was decided.
Kings Field – land north of Bromham Road
As work continues on the housing development at the west, Biddenham, end of the land north of Bromham Road, the access road into the development from the roundabout on the bypass is now being opened up.
Meanwhile to the west of that development, on the other, Bromham, side of the bypass work is going apace on developing the playing fields and the changing facilities are also underway.
And through it all the Canada geese amuse themselves by the large pond between the bypass and the river.
Land north of Bromham Road
Work is moving along quickly now putting in place the infrastructure needed for the houses to be built in Biddenham parish, at the western end of the land north of Bromham Road.
Land north of Bromham Road
You may have noticed on the developers’ sign boards erected on Bromham Road, and more recently on the new section of bypass, that the development has an overall name of Kings Field.
This has been chosen to remember an event that took place on Thursday, 22 October 1914 when King George V came to review the Highland Troops then stationed in Bedford and around, including Biddenham.
The review took place in Bromham Road, the Bedfordshire Times and Independent of 23 October reported ‘in the large field beyond the Midland Railway, and lying between the Golf Course and the Bromham-road, opposite the first Biddenham turn’, that is, where houses are currently being constructed as the new development takes shape.
‘As a matter of fact’ the report continued, ‘the troops occupied both this field and the Golf Course beyond, but the march past took place in the first field’. ‘The Gordon Brigade, probably owing to the proximity of their billets to the review ground, were the first on the scene. They marched up in the neighbourhood by 9 o’clock, and took up their positions on the Golf Links. The Scottish Horse, from the country, were also fairly early arrivals. The Seaforth and Cameron Brigades started to arrive about 10 a.m., and also went to the Golf Links, and the following troops arrived in the following order:- R.G.A., R.F.A. (Golf Links), Argyll Brigade, A.S.C., R.E., and R.A.M.C. Some of the units arrived with bands playing, and in some the men were singing and whistling, but generally speaking there was an air of seriousness’.
‘During the arrival of the troops the reserve regiment of the Beds. Yeomanry marched up to their training ground – a field off the Biddenham-road, and their smart appearance, despite the absence of uniform in many cases, was favourably commented upon. When the King left they were formed up down the Biddenham-road, but owing to the crowd they had no opportunity of seeing His Majesty’.
On arrival after 11.30 am ‘the royal car passed straight up the road to the second field where His Majesty was received by the general officers, and forthwith he inspected the Scottish Horse, the Artillery Regiments, the Gordons, the Camerons, the Seaforths, and other troops parading in that part of the ground’.
‘At 11.50 a.m. His Majesty and his retinue entered the first large field at the corner diagonally remote from the gate opposite the Biddenham-lane and began his inspection of the troops on that side, walking along the front ranks from west to east’. The King then moved across the field towards the gate and the march past began, each section headed by a band of pipers. Rain began to fall and fell more heavily as the King eventually left to reach the railway station by 1.30 pm.
There is much more in the newspaper report of the event which is now marked by the name given to the development taking place almost 102 years later.
Land north of Bromham Road
Work is well underway building houses at the eastern end of the land north of Bromham Road, the area within Bedford Borough.
But in the last week or so work has also started at the western end, within the Parish of Biddenham, preparing for the construction of houses on this area too:
the Biddenham blog 