Neighbourhood Action Group

RURAL EAST NEIGHBOURHOOD ACTION GROUP

Meeting held on 11th February at Chicheley Village Hall

The Community Speedwatch device has now been bought, and PCs Andrew Perry and Julian Kendall have been trained in its use, and will now be able to train local volunteers, Police Community Support Officers and Neighbourhood Wardens. A volunteer has also been trained to input information from the device into the Thames Valley system.

Some responses have been received to our suggestion of a 40mph limit on the A422 through Chicheley. A 50mph limit has been proposed, together with 30mph limits for Bedlam Lane and Hall Lane. It was still the view of the NAG that 40mph would be the appropriate limit for the main road in Chicheley, and that point is being pressed with the traffic experts. It was felt that there was little merit in a 30mph limit in Hall Lane and Bedlam Lane, as it would be difficult to reach a speed of 30mph along either road, and speeding is not a problem there. It was also suggested that there should be a 50mph limit for the full length of the A422 from Chicheley to the Bedfordshire border. It is hoped that one of the experts will attend the next NAG meeting to explain the basis for their recommendations, which do not reflect the public view that speeding is an issue. There will be a review of the A422, and it was suggested that a special Environmental Visual Audit should be held along its length from Chicheley Hill roundabout to the Bedfordshire border, to note any concerns which could be passed on to the review.

Following a survey around Astwood organised by the clerk to the Parish Council, the times and places where speeding is prevalent have been identified, and the police will be using the information to plan their speed checks. The survey also highlighted concerns about motorcycles doing excessive speeds along the A422 on Sundays. It was felt that many drivers are driving too fast through Newton Blossomville, and that the averaged figures are reflecting a significant level of speeding. It is hoped to have the up-to-date figures for the next meeting.

Our second priority is dog-fouling. PC Andrew Perry and PCSO Chantelle Gregory have visited the schools in Newton Blossomville, Lavendon and North Crawley to talk to the children, hoping that they will remind their parents to pick up after the family dog. The NAG has offered to supply dog waste bins to the villages, although the parish councils would have to take on the cost of emptying.

It was noted that the snow in the past two months has made it impossible for litter to be collected from roadsides, and that Serco are now working very hard to catch up. Milton Keynes Council, working jointly with the police, are planning a campaign to discourage litter being thrown from vehicles, using on-the-spot fines and publicity. Several well-used laybys have no litter bins.

The NAG accepted that the recent weather had caused a pothole problem throughout the country, and that it might take some time for potholes to be repaired on the minor roads, while priority was given to dangerous potholes on fast main roads. However, there were serious concerns about the state of the A509 through Olney, where large areas of the road surface appear to be breaking up, and about very deep potholes on other local roads.

Don't forget that if you have any special concerns, which you feel that the NAG could help with, you can contact your local NAG member, or the clerk to the parish council, and pass on your concerns.

NAG members are: LAVENDON - Kate Porter; WARRINGTON - Graham Harrison; NEWTON BLOSSOMVILLE and CLIFTON REYNES - Pam Buckle and Margaret Watson; EMBERTON - Karen Goss; CHICHELEY - Robert Ruck-Keene; ASTWOOD and HARDMEAD - Miranda Powell-Shedden; NORTH CRAWLEY - David Hunt; and MOULSOE - Peter Bloomfield and Nigel Richard. We still don't have a representative from COLD BRAYFIELD. If any resident there would be interested in joining the NAG to represent the interests of the village, they would be very welcome.