Roads, pavements and cycle paths

Roads and Pavements

There is around £19m in the County Council's capital budget this year for road repairs (an increase on the last 3 years) enabling the reduction of the maintenance backlog to continue this year.

There is £ 1.7m in the budget this year for pavement repairs. 

New Cycle Path Winslow to Buckingham

The capital funding for this (around £ 500k)  is  included in the Bucks Thames Valley Local Economic Partnership's capital bid to the Government's Local Growth Fund  and the outcome should be known in
July.  Details can be seen in the BTVLEP strategic economic plan  (p73)  at the following link:http://buckstvlep.co.uk/interesting-stuff/research-reports
At the same time, Bucks County Council is bidding for revenue funding to the Local Sustainable Transport Fund:  details can be seen here:http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/environment/sustainability/local-sustainable-transport-fund-2015-2016/

This is a fund designed to encourage a shift to more sustainable forms of transport.
Both bids are linked to the opening of the new Winslow station, projected for 2019.

East West Rail update

East West Rail

On 30^th April Network Rail published their delivery plan for East West Rail.

The Network Rail plan proposes delivery of East West Rail in two phases. Phase 1 will deliver the infrastructure required for Chiltern Railways services between Oxford and London via Bicester as well as the works required for the later introduction of East West Rail services west of Bicester.

Phase 2, which is at an earlier stage of development, will deliver the EWR works east of Bicester to Bletchley and Bedford, including the Aylesbury to Claydon Junction line within this five-year period ending March 2019.

Work involves upgrading the Bicester Town to Bletchley and Claydon Junction to Aylesbury freight line for passenger services; building a new station at Winslow; building new high level platforms at Bletchley Station and minor upgrades to the existing Bletchley to Bedford passenger railway.

On completion, the railway will provide:

-          An hourly passenger service between Milton Keynes and Oxford via Winslow (which may continue to Didcot Parkway and Reading)

-       An hourly passenger service between Milton Keynes and Aylesbury via Winslow (which may continue to Princes Risborough, High Wycombe and Marylebone)

Energy From Waste Incinerator update

Energy From Waste Incinerator     Greatmoor Farm

Phase 1 works on the Greatmoor EfW site continue to progress, including piling, concrete foundations, installation of site drainage and work on the road network around the facility.  

The timelapse camera continues to provide half-hour update photographs at: http://fccenvironment.reachtimelapse.co.uk/greatmoor/

As Chairman of the community liaison group which meets every 3 months I have ensured that the concerns of local villages re traffic, impact of construction vehicles, compliance with planning conditions and environmental concerns relating to the incinerator design are addressed by FCC management.

The A41 access road and roundabout works are progressing with completion scheduled for August 2014.

With the opening of the access road all construction and landfill traffic should be entering the site via the A41

and the Brackley Lane entrance will be closed. This should reduce the impact of HGVs going through the Claydons.

The Shipton Lee Railway Bridge repairs have been completed and the road reopened.

Work of laying the electric cable to connect with the East Claydon substation will begin in the autumn.  A map

of the cable route has been published; it passes via open land to the south and east of Botolph Claydon.

High Speed Two update

High Speed  2

We have reached the stage of petitioning the Hybrid Bill which received its second reading in the Commons on 28^th April.    Petitioning is a final chance of influencing the project and securing improvements.

The petitioning deadline was the 23^rd May.     Petitioners will be invited to attend the HS2 Select Committee – the timetable is yet to be announced.

The Bucks County Council petition can be seen on the 51m group website at http://www.51m.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/BCC-Petition-FINAL-BCC.pdf   

The AVDC petition will be published on the council’s website shortly.      AVDC’s petition will pick up on noise issues, construction related matters, ecological and heritage concerns.   Bucks County Council’s petition focuses on route-wide and strategic issues, including highways, waste disposal, and ecological issues.

Key requests relating to this area:

a)        Sustainable placement (spoil dump)  at Calvert

-          consider whether the waste material could be put to alternative uses in the vicinity (e.g. the incinerator site)

b)        A Country Park in the Vale of Aylesbury

-           provision should be made for a country park (and an endowment for its future maintenance and management) in the vicinity of the IMD

c)       Mitigation for the impacts from the Infrastructure Maintenance Depot

-          deliveries of larger and bulkier goods and materials to the IMD should be made by rail both during the construction stage and when in operation; 

-          a traffic routing scheme should be implemented that takes into account the environmental impacts of traffic as well as traffic movements;

-          night time deliveries to the site, both during the construction stage and when in operation, should be minimised;

-           lighting at the site should be low-level, designed to minimise light-spillage, or activity-initiated;

-           the open brook that will be removed during construction should be reinstated after the temporary railhead has been removed.

d)       Impact on East West Rail

-          ensure that the implementation of East West Rail will not be delayed or its subsequent operation affected unduly or unreasonably by the construction or operation of the works to be authorised by the Bill

-          ensure that a station is provided (either by building it or funding it) on the East West Rail line at Steeple Claydon, to serve the IMD and surrounding  communities.

Closure of AVDC offices in Winslow and Buckingham

Aylesbury Vale District Council is making changes to the way residents can access its services in Buckingham and Winslow.



The changes reflect the significantly reduced demand for a face-to-face service as more residents use the council’s website or contact staff by phone and email.



There has been a steady decline in the number of people using the council’s area offices, with both offices most recently having less than 12 customers visiting for non-payment related AVDC enquiries per day.



With lowering demand for a face-to-face service and as part of a drive to deliver more efficient and cost-effective services, the council will no longer be providing customer access points in Buckingham and Winslow.



The council will stop its AVDC service at Winslow Library on 19 May and at the Buckingham Centre on 30 May. Customers are advised that the Buckingham Centre will remain open and will continue to offer its other services, it is only the AVDC service that is withdrawing.



Councillor Pam Pearce, Cabinet Member for Community Matters, said: “The way people access council services is changing and people tend to prefer contacting us either by phone or using our online services. It is clear from the visitor figures that maintaining face-to-face customer services in Buckingham and Winslow is not efficient or cost effective. Although there will be much more of an emphasis on self-service, we will continue to offer face-to-face support at our Gateway offices in Aylesbury to anyone who needs it.”



The service offered to Aylesbury Vale residents will not be affected. Customers will be encouraged to visit the AVDC website www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk as a first point of contact, giving 24 hour a day instant access to information about its services. For the small number of issues that can’t be addressed online or for those people without internet access, staff are easily contactable via telephone on 01296 585858.



If a query cannot be resolved by phone or email, the customer will be offered an appointment to see an officer at The Gateway in Aylesbury. Customers who have not made a prior appointment and visit The Gateway to see an advisor will be directed to the self-service area to contact the appropriate service or access information via the AVDC website.



For the few people who may find it difficult to visit Aylesbury, some AVDC services may offer a local surgery or, where appropriate, arrange a home visit. In addition, there will be free access to a computer and telephone at Buckingham CAB in Wheeldon House, Market Hill, Buckingham. For more information on this please visit our website www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/move



Payments can still be made at all shops with the Paypoint sign or at post offices. A list of locations is available at www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/wheretopay . Documents or paperwork can also be dropped off at The Gateway. Some services have pre-printed envelopes available for customers to use, offering reassurance to those often submitting personal information.



For more information about the changes to face-to-face services, visit www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/move

HS2 Environment Statement consulation

The HS2 Environment Statement was published along with the HS2 Hybrid Bill on 25 November. The Environmental Statement details how HS2 Ltd proposes to deal with the impact of their project on the environment. Through Parliament, the government has to gain feedback on the Environmental Statement in advance of the second reading of the Bill in the House of Commons. Responses to the Environmental Statement will then be considered before the second reading of the HS2 Hybrid Bill. The deadline for responding to this consultation is 24 January 2014.

Aylesbury Vale District Council is working on its response to the Environmental Statement and we will publish it on our website once it has been prepared.

The Environmental Statement documents can be accessed at Gov.uk website.

Details of the consultation will be available at Gov.uk and comments should be sent to:
FREEPOST RTEC-AJUT-GGHH
HS2 Phase One Bill Environmental Statement
PO Box 70178
London, WC1A 9HS

Or by email to HS2PhaseOneBillES@dialoguebydesign.com

The deadline for submissions is the 24 January 2014.

The documents relating to the Steeple Claydon area (including the plans for the construction sites, temporary railhead  and infrastructure maintenance depot) can be seen in Steeple Claydon Library (on a PC provided by HS2 for the purpose).

Upgrade for Swan Pool, Buckingham

The Swan Pool and Leisure Centre in Buckingham is in line for a major upgrade after an improvement plan was approved by Aylesbury Vale District Council’s cabinet.

The cabinet decided to proceed with a multi-million pound scheme that will greatly enhance the 17-year-old leisure centre and provide top-class facilities for residents.

It is hoped that the revamped facility could be delivered in the summer of 2015, subject to funding from AVDC’s capital programme and Sport England.

The scheme includes a remodelled entrance area with a two-storey climbing wall, an extended fitness suite, an enlarged crèche/multi-use room and an improved refreshment area. There are also plans to extend and completely refit the wet and dry changing areas.

Work will be phased to keep as many facilities open for use throughout the improvement programme.

Councillor Howard Mordue, Cabinet Member for Leisure and member for Buckingham South, said: “This is a tremendous investment for leisure, not just for Buckingham, but the whole of the north of the district. The Swan Pool and Leisure Centre was opened in 1996 and – after 17 years – is now showing its age. We are determined to deliver a major refurbishment of the site to ensure the leisure centre offers the very best facilities to our residents. One of the council’s priorities is to improve the health of our residents and an improved Swan Pool will help us to achieve this.”

AVDC has submitted a bid to the Sport England Improvement Fund for £500,000. The council should learn early in the new year if the bid has been successful.

Sports and Leisure Management (SLM) Ltd, operating under its brand name, Everyone Active, assumed responsibility for the operation of the Swan Pool in Buckingham and Aqua Vale in Aylesbury on behalf of AVDC earlier this year. The leisure operator will work alongside the council to deliver the improvement project.

“We’re thrilled that Aylesbury Vale District Council has decided to embark on these works which will modernise the centre and greatly improve the quality of leisure facilities for the local community”, says Everyone Active Contract Manager Christine Coppack. “Swan Pool and Leisure Centre is a much loved and popular facility. These important works will provide a fresher, more pleasant environment for local residents of all ages to enjoy and be active in.”