[We] can confirm the footway/cycleway works from Wing to the Wing Hill Bypass Roundabout will commence on site late October/ early November.
A questionnaire survey will be undertaken in Wing to gauge the level of use of the Rock Lane Bridge alternative, should a bridge not be possible. This survey to be undertaken in October.
Obviously we will have to give a few weeks for responses to be returned. By the end of this period, we are informed by Beds today that an announcement should have been made about the CIF bid for the bridge.
Should the bid be unsuccessful but the questionnaire response positive, Bucks and Beds will pursue the Rock Lane bridge alternative. We will find funding to do the section from Wing Hill to Rock Lane. Planning permission by South Beds DC will be needed for this - [we] would be hopeful this would not be a major issue enabling completion later this financial year/ or early next depending on the planning process. Beds have confirmed they are supportive of this approach.
[We are] pleased to hear that you have now got the go-ahead for the village survey in Wing to establish the likely demand for a cycle/pedestrian facility between Wing and Linslade. We agreed that there are 3 options to evaluate -
i) a bridge over the bypass at Wing Hill,
ii) a new track around the bypass to the Rock lane overbridge with a connection into Derwent Road
iii) the existing at-grade crossing at the roundabout.
All 3 options would assume an improvement to the existing footways on the A418 if they were to be implemented.
Bedfordshire CC would need to assess the result of the village survey and combine this with data on existing flows and likely generated flows from new developments in the area to arrive at a a likely demand:cost figure which can then be compared with projected figures for other schemes. It would also be assessed against the Beds CC Strategic Objectives. If this showed good value for money and compatibility with strategic objectives, then the scheme would be entered into the 5 year rolling programme and programmed according to its priority and resource availability. This would apply to options i) and ii).
If of course we were to be successful in attracting CIF or GAF funding for either option i) or ii), then the scheme would go straight into the programme.