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Jottings from CC

 Swavesey Parish Council News

MARSHALLS SPECIALIST VEHICLES' PROPOSED MOVE TO SWAVESEY
Marshall of Cambridge are, as many people are probably aware, under pressure to relocate from Newmarket Road, Cambridge, as their site has been identified for major housing development. The Airport is looking at various new sites, particularly Wyton and Duxford. The Specialist Vehicles Division (land vehicles, not aeroplanes!) has been in contact with the Parish Council with regard to relocating their manufacturing division here.

No planning permission has yet been applied for. Having spoken to the Parish Council, Marshalls will now be talking to the District Council, Highways Authority and other consultees. The initial proposal is for an approx 25 acre site immediately north of Buckingway Business Park, to house the manufacturing site, paint shop facilities and main Marshalls training centre. The existing 350 employees are expected to move with the company.

TRAFFIC CALMING
The agreed traffic calming work through Swavesey will begin once Over's is finished, probably January 2005.

CRIME
There was in increase in theft and vandalism in late summer. Please do report all such incidents to the police and obtain a crime number. Without such statistics, we are likely to get any visible policing.

DOG FAECES BINS
Thank you to everyone who clears up after their dog. All the village bins are very well-used. The village now has red dog faeces bins at the following locations:

(1) Boxworth End, outside nos 42 & 44 (nr The Surgery)
(2) High Street either end of the recreation green
(1) on bus shelter BY Memorial Hall
(1) Market Street Green
(1) Blackhorse Lane, opposite junction with Chantry Close
(1) Moat Way, opposite 33 Moat Way
(1) Fen Drayton Road, just passed Moat Way junction
(1) Middlewatch, opposite Bethel Baptist Church

Coming soon are

(1) play area in Moat Way
(1) Station Rd/Middle Fen Drove junction

Unbagged dog mess continues to be left on the football pitch/recreation ground and bagged dog mess is being thrown into fields bordering the recreation ground. This is not acceptable, please use the dog bins!

HORSE DROPPINGS
There is no legal obligation for horse riders or drivers to clear up droppings from the public highway. However many local residents do clear-up after their horses and we thank them for doing so. If anyone's horse should swing their bottom off the highway and accidentally leave droppings on pavements or cycle paths, please clear this away asap.

CYCLING AND RIDING THROUGH CHERRY TREES HOUSING ESTATE
The correct route for cyclists and horse riders who wish to avoid High Street/School Lane is to ride through Moat Way - Chantry Close - Blackhorse Lane/Taylors Lane. This is not a through-route for motor vehicles as there are bollards between Moat Way and Chantry Closes.

Barriers are being fitted at each end of the pedestrian-only pathways from Chantry Close to High Street and from Moat Way (corner) to Chantry Close.

BUSES ALONG RAMPER ROAD
We have written to County Council, Stagecoach and the Traffic Commissioners to complain about the loss of bus service to Boxworth End and the re-routing of the bus service along Ramper Road, which is a single track lane in poor condition which the County will not even be gritting this winter. We would welcome letters of support from residents to strengthen our case.

AIREY HOUSING WHITTON CLOSE
A special parish council meeting was held in Sept to discuss plans for refurbishing some houses in Whitton Close and building a selection of low cost, shared ownership homes in adjacent land formed by a garage block and field. The field falls outside of the village boundary "envelope" for housing development but in this case, the development may be permissible as it is social housing rather than market value housing which is proposed.

BILL SMART
The parish council wishes to extend our sympathies to Bill Smart's family. Mr Smart died in October. He was a popular and very community-minded resident, who was directly responsible for the Meridian markers throughout the village, and for helping organise the Millennium Celebrations, "Big Ben", and other events.

THANKS TO...
Charles Kendall Freight whose donation cheque will be used to buy Christmas lights to decorate Market Street.Thanks also to Hilton Jackson, who donated a cheque from his birthday celebrations, which is being put into the village Youth Fund.

And thanks to Alan Morris, who has done a brilliant job with the village website and who has agreed to remain our "webmaster" for a further year, www.swavesey.org.uk/

Wishing all our parishioners a happy and safe Christmas and New Year.

 Jottings From Your County Councillor

During the summer a number of people contacted me to say that the last bus from Cambridge to Swavesey and Over left at 6-15pm and was no good for late working, or a drink after work. These comments surprised me because there is an evening service, subsidized by the county council and run by Huntingdon and District buses. However, on checking the timetable at one of the stops, the last bus was indeed shown as 6-15. I gather this has now been corrected, but it does emphasize the importance of up to date and reliable information. Hence…. have mouse - will travel. Cambridgeshire County Council has played a major role in establishing an East Anglian phone service (known as Traveline East Anglia) which provides public transport information covering the whole country. Traveline is part of a national service available from anywhere in the UK via a single telephone number. Calls are charged at national rate (i.e. 12p per call). However, more recently the service has become available on the web. This means that it is now possible for members of the public to plan regional and national bus, coach and rail journeys. Simply provide details of where you wish your journey to start, where you'd like it to end and the journey planner will provide you with several options on how to make your journey.

So, place to place routes, journey times and full descriptions of where to get on and off are now all available at the click of a mouse. Or, if you'd prefer, give Traveline a call on 0870 608 2 608, or visit the web site www.traveline.org.uk by clicking on East Anglia on the map.

We are still working on the introduction of real time bus information - like the London Underground and are piloting a text messaging service on the Ely to Cambridge route. All of this is aimed at providing much better information about services and is part of our commitment to improving public transport in Cambridgeshire.

I am always available for consultation, either in person or by phone, letter or e-mail. I can be reached at the address or telephone number below.

Shona Johnstone
Highfield
5 Lowburyholme Road
Over
CB4 5NP

Tel: 01954 230565
e-mail: shona.johnstone@cambridgeshire.gov.uk