A new supermarket on Ampthill Road is set to take traffic chaos on Bedford’s Ampthill Road to a new level according to Kempston Central & East Cllr Anthony Boutall.
Cllr Boutall, whose residents are particularly afflicted by the gridlock on Ampthill Road, recently called on Bedford Borough Council to find a solution to ‘unbearable’ traffic problems. Instead, the Council has approved a new Aldi supermarket which will be situated adjacent to the existing Morrisons store.
Cllr Boutall feels the Council has ‘recklessly pressed ahead’ with the plans without giving sufficient thought to the traffic implications. He said:
‘I was recently promised that the Council would look into alleviating unbearable traffic problems on Ampthill Road and the domino effect this creates in surrounding areas. Instead, they have seemingly given zero concern to the traffic implications that will arise from yet another supermarket on this route, and have recklessly pressed ahead, snubbing the concerns of many residents.‘No-one wants to prevent businesses from coming to any part of Bedford Borough, but it is absolutely imperative that we only make sensible planning decisions that will be properly supported by existing or improved infrastructure.
‘There appears to be utter disregard for this longstanding problem under the current Liberal Democrat and Labour Executive, and those making the decisions seem to be increasingly out of touch.