Neighbours in Dunstable and Houghton Regis are protesting about roadworks and new parking restrictions.
In Dunstable, six weeks of roadworks begin on Monday, July 29, to resurface Canesworde Road and Langdale Road and install traffic calming measures.That involves temporary road closures between 8am and 6pm.
In our readers’ letters section today, Derek Spratt, of Cartmel Drive, writes that closing both roads will leave various streets “caged in a ghetto-like enclave with no way of reaching the rest of Dunstable, or anywhere else, and vice versa”.
Central Beds Council’s highways partner Amey says access will be maintained when it is safe to do so.
In Houghton Regis, families in Tithe Farm Road are angry about new parking restrictions in their street to improve safety outside Tithe Farm Lower School.
Some residents feel the consultation process was inadequate. Tania Allman has drawn up a petition against the move to be handed to the council by Friday (July 26).
She said: “It’s going to be difficult to find somewhere else to park if the council don’t put in additional parking for the residents. We’ve had about 200 signatures.”
David Podgorski said: “A disturbing element to these proposals is the fact that the council didn’t think it was important to adequately inform those affected.”
He said he would “heartily support” a 20mph speed limit as an alternative way of preventing danger.
Councillor Brian Spurr said: “There are currently two ‘no stopping 7am - 7pm’ areas on Tithe Farm Road. There are proposals to implement two additional ‘no waiting areas’, which we are consulting on at the moment. We wrote to all local residents to inform them of these proposals.
“We have already received representations from some local residents and parents at the nursery school, so the plans will need to be taken to our traffic management committee, where the final decision on whether to implement the new restrictions will be made.”