Draft Freight Strategy Consultation

3.0 Background

Central Bedfordshire is predominantly a rural authority covering 716 square kilometres, characterised by large open areas of countryside with picturesque villages, hamlets and small to medium sized market towns. Within easy commuting distance to London, much of the area has either a suburban or rural feel with the largest conurbations including Leighton-Linslade, Dunstable, Biggleswade, Houghton Regis, Sandy, and Flitwick.

Half the population live in rural locations and villages, and the rest reside in market towns. There are several large settlements in neighbouring authority areas that influence business and other activities in Central Bedfordshire, including Milton Keynes, Luton, Bedford, Cambridge, and Northampton.

Approximately 294,200 people live in Central Bedfordshire (according to the 2021 Census data, published by the Office for National Statistics in June 2022). Central Bedfordshire is a high growth area situated close to London, with good transport links. The main drivers for population growth are increased life expectancy, a rising birth rate (exceeding mortality rate) and net increased migration due to planned development growth.

Central Bedfordshire is situated between Oxford and Cambridge in the East of England which according to England's Economic Heartland's Freight Study is a region that supports over two million jobs in 174,000 enterprises.

The M1 motorway runs north to south through Central Bedfordshire and provides a strategic freight and distribution link. There are many centralised warehousing, distribution and production facilities located along the M1 corridor to make use of the road and rail network, which provide connections to London towards the south and the Midlands and beyond towards the north. The A1, A5 and A6 also provide north to south road connections through the area.

East-west movements through the area are less well served. The main road connection across Central Bedfordshire is via the A507 with other minor A and B roads providing links to the motorway, trunk roads and settlements. The A505 / A4146 and the A603 provide partial east-west connectivity, along with the A421, which is just north of Central Bedfordshire.

See appendix 1 for a plan showing an overview of Central Bedfordshire's road and rail network.