Inclusive Play Space Opens in Russell Park Play Area

Last year, Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum (BBPCF) were awarded £100,000 from Bedford Borough Council through the Mayor’s Youth Empowerment Fund to help build an inclusive and fully accessible outdoor area of play within the existing Russell Park play area.

The new play space has now been completed with inclusive equipment that can be accessed by all users including those who have special educational needs or disabilities and their families. This allows entire families to enjoy Russell Park play area together. The play area includes a wheelchair accessible roundabout, see-saw and trampoline.

The improvements to Russell Park play area provide additional opportunities for physical activity, socialising with friends and meeting other children and young people, including those with special educational needs or disabilities and their family members.

Council Invites Local Groups & Businesses to Bid for Community Grant Funding

Bedford Borough Council is inviting small businesses, community interest groups and non-profit organisations to bid for funding as part of the High Street Heritage Action Zone scheme.

The grant funding, of up to £1,500 per project, will allow groups to run events and activities that bring people together to celebrate heritage and Bedford’s High Street. For example, projects could be expressed through various creative forms and mixed media such as creative workshops, arts & crafts, storytelling, music & dance, audio & film or cookery sessions.

Organisations that bid for funding will need to explain how their plans will enable people in the local community to learn more about the heritage and history of the town and our communities.

Businesses, community groups and non-profit organisations that apply to the scheme can submit more than one project idea.

Applications are open until Friday 16 September 2022.

You can find out more about the scheme and submit an application by visiting www.bedford.gov.uk/HSHAZ.

Bedford Borough Council Welcomes Network Rail Study into Bedford

Bedford Borough Council has welcomed Network Rail’s recently published Bedford Area Strategic Advice, which looks at the medium to long-term rail requirements for the Bedford area.

The study has identified improvements required to meet the needs of Bedford, after taking into account a number of factors including safety, resilience and performance, proposed railway projects, government policy and local and national rail strategies.

The key current constraints identified in this report are concerned with platform capacity at Bedford railway station. In particularly good news for Bedford Borough and its residents, the report recommends that Bedford railway station should have a new platform to serve fast trains to London, which the Council has been asking for.

The report also advises the East West Rail Company that construction of that platform would free up space on the slow lines north of Bedford for their own plans. This supports the Council’s view that north of Bedford railway station need not be demolished to make way for additional East West Rail lines.

The recommendations identified by Network Rail are:

• a new London-bound fast line platform (also known as up-fast) be built at Bedford station
• East West Rail explore further the opportunities afforded by the provision of a new up-fast platform and subsequent removal of fast trains from the slow lines at Bedford
• a further study be undertaken to review the best use of capacity on the Midland Main Line south of East Midlands Parkway in the light of information included in the Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands
• improvements be made to station facilities and gate line capacity as part of the planned East West Rail redevelopment of Bedford station