GARTREE Division of Leicestershire County Council

Kibworth Ward (includes the Langtons)

District Councillors:  Chris Holyoak, Phil King and Eileen Roeber

Published on the Internet by Dr Kevin Feltham, Carlton House, Kibworth Harcourt, Leicestershire. LE8 0PE  (updated May, 2009)

[ Up ] [ Latest News ] [ Billesdon ] [ Glen ] [ Kibworth ] [ Police ] [ Kevin Feltham ] [ On-line Surgery2 ] [ Links ]

Kibworth Ward comprises the 8 parishes of: Kibworth Beauchamp, Kibworth Harcourt, Smeeton Westerby, Tur Langton, 
East Langton (which includes Church Langton), Thorpe Langton, West Langton and Shangton and all lie within the Harborough parliamentary constituency

1. District Council Election Results 2007   
2. Kibworth Beauchamp Road Safety Scheme & A6 fatalities
3. A6 lay-by concerns  
4. Footpath stile replaced  
5. Kibworth Harcourt can be used as a locality name instead of just Kibworth  
6. KB/1 housing development  & result of Planning Inquiry  
7. 44 bus service: Kibworth - Fleckney  
8. Kibworth Against Substance Misuse (KASM) Initiative  
9. The Kibworth Incinerator FAQs  
10. Kibworth Ward Statistics  
11. Link to Kibworth Beauchamp Parish Council website  &  Link to Kibworth Harcourt Parish Council website 
12. Langtons own page   

Election 2007 Results for Kibworth Ward  - Harborough District (3rd May 2007)

Parish Councils (3rd May 2007)

Back to Top

The Kibworth Incinerator FAQs  (July, 2006)

How did this all start?

The Government has asked all strategic planning authorities (i.e. County & City Councils) to plan how waste will be managed and disposed of up to 2021.  A Waste Management Framework (WMF) has to be prepared to set out where facilities can take place.  Applications from land agents and landowners have been received by the County Council covering some 26 sites across the County and City. For the Kibworth Recycling & Household Waste Site (RHWS), the owner of the land adjoining the site has put in an application and suggested that possible uses could be: a Transfer Station; Recycling (MRF); Composting; Incineration with energy recovery.

Why were only parishes and districts involved?

The proposals were not instigated by the County Council but by the site owners, so as such had not been confirmed as possible disposal sites - that will come at the Preferred Options stage.  A planning officer from the Community Services Department of the Leicestershire County Council put an introductory letter together with the list of the proposed sites and suggestions by the owners for what waste management could be carried out on each site.  The suggestions were not made by the County Council, but by the applicants or site owners.  At this very initial stage of preparing the WMF, parishes and districts are consulted on what they think about the initial suggestions. The elected members are representatives of local views.

Is this a normal procedure for something like this?  Why were residents not consulted?

It is usual for parishes and districts to be asked for comments.  It is not a normal procedure for the County Council, or County Councillor, to involve the public at this very early stage because it has not yet reached the Preferred Options stage, and therefore many of the sites and proposed uses may not be included in the Options.  It is inappropriate to involve public consultation on sites which might not be taken forward to the Preferred Options stage.

Has any damage been caused by the LibDem call for a public meeting?

Yes.  Public meetings are important events to bring to the public's attention issues which could affect the environment, housing, highways (e.g. yellow lines) and any other issue of widespread public concern.  However, the public will only turn out for public meetings if they consider the issue important enough.  Too many public meetings on less important matters can lead to increased apathy when a genuinely important public meeting is called.  Calling unnecessary meetings is like the little boy crying "wolf" and eventually people stop listening, so that when a really important matter comes up, they ignore the call and something gets decided without sufficient public interest.

Are the County planning to build an incinerator in Kibworth?

No - The County is a member of the Leicester Waste Management Partnership, which consists of the County Council and all 7 of the Districts/Boroughs.  A consultation on the Draft Municipal Waste Management Strategy 2006 started in February and ended on 22nd March 2006.  Copies of the summary document and questionnaire were available by telephone (FREEPHONE) 0800 056 6765 (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week).  An on-line questionnaire was also available at www.lesswaste.org.uk  Alternative methods of disposal other than landfill have been considered, and thermal treatment as a means of diverting biodegradable waste from landfill is one such option.  No sites have yet been identified, and Kibworth has certainly never been suggested as a possible site for an incinerator by the County Council.  Leicestershire citizens will be consulted on any revision of the Strategy.

What happens next?

In due course, after considering representations on each of the applications, the County Council decided which of the original 26 proposed sites should go forward and for what purposes.  At the Preferred Options stage (July 2006), the County Council set out its policies and the sites suitable for waste treatment or disposal, and reviewed each of the proposed sites for suitability.  The Kibworth site was not included in the list of preferred options, so supporting my view is that the LibDem Focus Newsletter did indeed create unnecessary worry and concern. A wider public consultation is now being undertaken where the Council will be seeking views on these preferred options.

Back to Top

A6 lay-by concerns (May, 2009)

Two unconnected concerns have been troubling people living near the A6 lay-by (opposite the cemetery). Kibworth Beauchamp Parish Council discussed both concerns at their April meeting.  Lay-bys are considered beneficial to road safety as they provide somewhere safe for drivers to stop, whether they wish simply to rest, check directions, make a phone call, stretch their legs, or take refreshments.  In this case, the lay-by was formed when the road was straightened over a hundred years ago, leaving a loop from the former road. This is also the site where Michael Ingo was thought to have been killed in a coaching accident in 1834.

In term times, some school buses are left in the lay-by during the day by one or more bus operators.  There are usually a blue double decker and white single decker parked all day until 3pm when they are used again to pick up young people from local schools.  Clearly this helps keep the cost of running the buses down by cutting down on unnecessary mileage but it is a nuisance for adjoining residential properties.  The lay-by already has a sign to prevent heavy vehicles parking overnight, so it is not the ideal location for parking these buses.  Some days there have been as many as four buses parked there.

The County Council are responsible for highways, including keeping lay-bys clear of obstructions, and they are in contact with the bus operator to request they find an alternative location, which is not so close to houses.

The other concern is the recent siting of a snack van (started in April 2009) in the lay-by from early in the morning to mid afternoon on weekdays.  Again, neighbouring property owners have complained about the smell from cooking, the noise and language from lorry drivers who have also used the lay-by to relieve themselves, safety aspects for youngsters playing at the bottom of Rectory Lane , and the potential for vermin being attracted to the area.

This time the responsibility for the snacks van amenity lies with Harborough District Council under their street trading policy, which is currently being reviewed and it will take some time before any suitable amendments could be incorporated to include this site, if that is the only conclusion to the matter.

I met with the van owner in early May 2009, and he has a very well run and clean snacks business, but I pointed out the problems he is causing and urged him to consider another lay-by further along the A6 to ply his trade.

Back to Top

KB/1 housing development

For latest information (May, 2009 ) click here

    Introduction

Following announcements in October 2003 that Harborough District Council (HDC) were planning to release the greenfield KB/1 site off Warwick Road for housing, I asked for a briefing on the process by County Council planners and invited other elected members from the Kibworth Parishes and District Ward, as well as officers and the lead member for planning from HDC, to meet with me and LCC planning officers so I could better understand the apparent turnaround in HDC policy and examine the options available for objecting to the housing.  This impromptu briefing group duly met on Tuesday 6^th January at County Hall but unfortunately without the HDC officers, who had decided not to attend, or the HDC lead member for planning.

What became very apparent during the hour long meeting was that there is a wide difference of opinion about the need to release KB/1 now, between the planning department at HDC and the planners at County Hall.  In order to better understand this difference of opinion, a further meeting of the former impromptu group members, with HDC and LCC planners, was held on 27th January at the HDC offices in Market Harborough.  Both Kibworth Harcourt and Kibworth Beauchamp Parish Councils have now met and are considering various actions.  Several Kibworth Harcourt parishioners formally requested the Harcourt Parish Council arrange a Parish Meeting to discuss the whole matter - this was duly held in the Village Hall on 28^th January 2004 at 7.30pm on a freezing and snowy night.  Some 120 people came, with 70+ from Kibworth Harcourt to hear Cllr Peter Knott (Chairman, KHPC) outline the current situation. After 45 mins debate and questions, a motion to call for HDC to hold a referendum within 14 to 25 days was passed by 76 votes to nil.  The Kibworth Harcourt referendum was held on Thursday 4th March between 4pm and 9pm in the Kibworth Village Hall on Station Street. The Result was 321 voting FOR the resolution and 4 against: a 99% majority wishing to support the Parish Council's objection to the release of the land for development.

Kibworth Beauchamp Parish Council held their own public meeting on 25th February 2004.  Another cold night but the Grammar School Hall was packed by about 200 people with standing room only at 7.30pm when Cllr John Hunt, Chairman of KBPC, took the audience through the proposals by HDC.  After an hour of questions the wording for the possible referendum question was put to the public; a motion proposing it was proposed and seconded, and supported by some 170+ people to nil against.  The Kibworth Beauchamp referendum was held on Thursday 25th March between 4pm and 9pm in the Methodist Church Hall on School Road. The Result was 902 voting FOR the resolution and 30 against: a 97% majority wishing to support the Parish Council's objection to the release of the land for development.

These two referendum polls indicated that there are 1,223 individual voters in the two villages who do not wish to see this land released for 440 dwellings at this time, as opposed to 34 who do.  Bearing in mind the polling station was only open for 5 hours each time, which was insufficient for shift workers, and postal and proxy votes were not allowed, I feel this has been a magnificent achievement and thank both Parish Councils sincerely for supporting these polls.  I have been opposing the development since it was first muted over 15 years ago, and will continue to do so.

A revised Supplementary Planning Guidance was put to the HDC Full Council in July 2004 with a recommendation that it goes out to a 6 week public consultation starting on 5th August 2004 and finishing on 17th September 2004. The results of this consultation will be considered by HDC in November 2004 (see below).  It is very important that residents of Kibworth Beauchamp and Kibworth Harcourt read the documents and make appropriate comments.  The Working Group of the two Kibworth Parish Councils will be issuing summaries of their conclusions before the 6 week consultation finishes.  

FROM KIBWORTH HARCOURT PARISH COUNCIL (August, 2004)

LATEST NEWS ON RELEASE OF WARWICK ROAD SITE FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

Harborough District Council, at its’ meeting of 14 July, decided that a revised version of the Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) on the Monitoring of Housing Land should go forward to public consultation. Four members of Kibworth Harcourt Parish Council attended the HDC meeting. Chairman Peter Knott was given permission to speak and took the opportunity to inform Council members of the enormous opposition to the December 2003 version of the SPG.  

Villagers will remember that this earlier SPG proposed imminent release of agricultural land off Wistow Road/Warwick Road for housing development in non-compliance with the previously stated order of priority. The recommendation for release was made on the strength of a forecast shortfall of 33 in the number of houses in the Central Leicestershire Policy Area in 2006.  

The revised SPG proposes the extension, by one year, of the end date of the current Local Plan to 2007, and hence the revised SPG also covers the period 2004 – 2007.

 In the revised draft SPG the predicted CLPA deficit in 2006 remains at 33 and the forecast shortfall at 2007 is stated as 70.

 The view of the two Kibworth Parish Councils is that there is still no valid reason to release land in Kibworth for 440 houses.

The Working Party appointed by both Kibworth Parish Councils to deal with the land release issue, and the two Planning Applications, continues to meet on a regular basis.

The revised SPG is subject to a six week period of Public Consultation starting on 5 August (finishing on 17 September) and the Parish Councils will both submit comments on the document, and also issue guidance in due course to Kibworth residents so that as many letters of objection as possible from individual members of the public are dispatched to Harborough District Council.  

Please note that HDC will NOT individually notify those residents who submitted comments on the earlier version of the SPG of this second Public Consultation.

The Draft Revised SPG is available for inspection at the Council Offices Market Harborough, and at libraries throughout the District. It is also available on the HDC website at www.marketharborouqhonline.co.uk and printed copies are available by telephoning 01858 821128.

Peter Knott, Chairman KHPC (5 August 2004)

Dr Kevin Feltham reported that Leicestershire County Council have formally objected to the revised Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) on similar grounds to last time. Edward Garnier QC MP has objected. Kibworth Beauchamp and Kibworth Harcourt Parish Councils have objected.  I objected as the local County Councillor.  957 Kibworth residents responded using the standard response letters issued by the parish councils, 112 more objected using non-standard, personalised letters - making 1,070 individual objections in total from the two Kibworth parishes.  There were 3 letters of support and 16 letters received after the consultation had ended.  

On 24th November 2004, HDC Full Council debated a recommendation by officers to approve the SPG and 21 Councillors (58%) voted to oppose the recommendation and so reject approval of the SPG and therefore not determine the KB/1 development application which has been effectively stopped for now.  The developers & landowners of the KB/1 application have already appealed against the refusal of HDC to determine their application and a date of 10th May 2005 has been agreed as the start of a 5 day Public Inquiry into their appeal.  

As a result of this HDC Full Council vote on 24th November, the HDC planning officers can now collaborate with their LCC colleagues at County Hall to prepare the best defence of the democratic HDC position ready for the appeal.

A pre-inquiry meeting was held with the Planning Inspector at HDC offices on 21st February 2005 and elected representatives and officers of HDC and LCC were present together with QC for the developers and LCC.  The Appeal will start on 10th May and is expected to last 8 working days (not Mondays).

On 24th March 2005 (Maundy Thursday) the HDC Planning Committee met for a Special Meeting to discuss outline applications for KB/1 (and GG/2).  04/00319/OUT and 04/00932/OUT were considered together as both related to the outline planning applications for residential development and associated infrastructure works on land at Wistow Road/Warwick Road, Kibworth Beauchamp/Kibworth, otherwise known as KB/1. Officers had recommended that "Members resolve that they would have been minded to grant outline planning permission for the residential development of the site in accordance with the adopted Local Plan and its Alterations."  After hearing submissions from C Cllr Feltham (objector), Mr S Holder (objector), Ms M Thompson for the applicant, Cllr J Hunt (KBPC) and Cllr P Knott (KHPC), and further questions and discussions the recommendation was amended by Cllr Roeber (LD) to a rejection of the application, seconded by Cllr Liquorish (C) and passed by those present with no votes against.

On 5th April, 2005, after continued campaigning by Dr Kevin Feltham on behalf of the Kibworth Ward, the LCC Cabinet approved release of a letter and formal request seeking a response as to why HDC were non-conformant with the new Structure Plan.

... the [HDC] Local Plan is or, as the case may be, is not in general conformity with the new Structure Plan. Where a Local Plan is notified as no longer conforming to the Structure Plan, it no longer prevails over it in the event of conflict between the two.

A preliminary assessment of the Local Plan, approved by the County Council’s Cabinet on 5 April 2005 indicates that it is not in general conformity with the Structure Plan for the following overarching reasons:

1. It only covers the period up to 2006 whereas the Structure Plan covers the period up to 2016.
2. The allocation of housing sites at Kibworth and Great Glen (KB1 and GG2) does not satisfy the requirements of the sequential approach towards the location of development as set out in Strategy Policy 2A of the Structure Plan. ...

The Public Inquiry started on 10th May 2005 in Harborough District Council chamber and finished on 19th May 2005. The hearing was open to the public between 10am and 5pm, Tuesday to Friday.  Witnesses for HDC, LCC, Kibworth Harcourt PC, Kibworth Beauchamp PC, Great Glen PC, David Wilson Homes and John Littlejohn Ltd were asked to present their statements and were cross examined by various QCs acting on behalf of the appellants and Councils. A final definitive report from the Inspector and ODPM is expected in the Autumn 2005.

The Leicestershire County Council wrote to the Inspector in August 2005 informing him of the interest being shown by English Partnerships in developing the 120 hectares of farmland at Stretton Hall in Great Glen, which is still in the Government's ownership as a former NHS property.  This information has been issued for additional consultation to all parties involved in the Public Inquiry and this process has therefore delayed publication of the report and Inspector's final decision.

25 October 2005 - The Inspector has recommended to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), and the First Secretary of State has agreed that the appeal by David Wilson Estates & Messrs DB and JF Briggs be allowed so granting planning permission for housing to be developed off the Warwick Road (KB/1) site.

Clearly, this was very bad news especially after all the time, effort and depth of feeling by many residents, councillors and supporters.  However, it is time to move on, because we are where we are.  There will be detailed analysis of the large report and recommendations by both Leicestershire County Council and Harborough District Council.  There will be costs of losing this appeal awarded against HDC and we await the final results, but it will be substantial and ultimately be borne by council tax payers in Harborough District.

Section 106 agreements have been agreed and will provide increased accommodation for both schools in Kibworth Beauchamp, as well as providing improvements for the library and other community functions.

At this time no details are available with regard to the phasing and timing of the development, although improvements to the Highways infrastructure are required before the major building starts.  The judgement also confirmed the residential development should result in a minimum net site density of 40 dwellings (including flats) per hectare; at 18.3 hectares a simple calculation, allowing for some green space, indicates a minimum of 650 dwellings!  Somewhat more than the 300-400 dwellings being bandied about only a year or so ago!

Can both villages cope?  With careful planning control and phasing, together with coordination by all elected members and officers to ensure this development does not hang on the side of the villages like a "monstrous carbuncle" (to use Prince Charles' well-worn metaphor), I feel sure the next ten years will be an exciting time.  there is a great deal to be done and agreed and I look forward to discussing options over the coming months.  Please let me have your views too.

July 2006 - Parish, District and County Councillors met with County Council Highways, Harborough District Planners and representatives of David Wilson Homes Ltd, including the Chief Executive, Gary Crisp, at HDC offices on 7th February, to start a series of meetings leading up to the detailed planning application for the whole site, expected by April 2006. Further meetings have been held upto 10th July - the last such meeting.  David Wilson Homes put on two exhibition days for members of the public in the Grammar School Hall - 26th July and 6th September.

Detailed planning permission for 660 dwellings on the land off Warwick Road (known as KB/1) was granted to David Wilson Homes (application 06/01209A/REM - amended plans) by the Harborough District Council Development Control (Planning) Committee on 12th December 2006.  Initial discussions between HDC, DWH and the parishes indicate an expected completion-rate of 60-70 dwellings per year.

Although no detailed construction timetable has been made available to the parishes or the county councillor, but initial discussions lead us to believe that the road construction work will begin early in 2007 with the building of new roundabouts on the A6 and Wistow Road.  The new distributor road from the Wistow Road roundabout to the bridge over the railway on Warwick Road will then be constructed in the Spring.  Once this is completed, the northern section of Warwick Road can be closed to through traffic, and work begin on upgrading the southern section of Warwick Road through to Fleckney Road.

Traffic Regulation Orders were published in the Leicester Mercury on 22nd December 2006 by LCC detailing the need for closure of Warwick Road, Wistow Road and various footpaths (Dairy Field) over a 12-18 month period from 8th January.  Further clarification of the actual dates for closure are being sought.  Latest information is that construction of the roads etc. are unlikely to be before Summer 2007.

Another Traffic Regulation Order (TM1935/1/2006(a)) is currently being processed to extend the 30mph speed limit on Wistow Road to west of the new roundabout, to put a 40 mph speed limit on the new distributor road and to a length of road south of the railway bridge, and to extend the 30 mph limit to all of the new estate roads including the old Warwick Road (north of the railway line).  Traffic calming measures within the new estate are likely to further restrict traffic speeds to 20 mph.

STOP PRESS - LATEST INFORMATION: (May, 2009 )

The Audit Commission published their Annual Audit and Inspection Letter on the performance of Harborough District Council (2005/06) in April and it makes very interesting reading. The full document can be downloaded by clicking here, but to whet your appetite, here are some samples from the main messages to the Council: "The last year was a challenging one for the Council with significant transition in its leadership, both politically and managerially. Despite this the Council has made progress in some areas although the overall rate of improvement is below average, and the level of improvement against the council's own priorities is inconsistent, with performance targets not being achieved." "A specific governance failure occurred in relation to the Council's refusal to grant planning permission on a site in Kibworth Beauchamp. The subsequent conclusion of the government appointed inspector that, in his judgment, ‘members rejected the advice of consultants and their own officers with no sound basis for doing so.’ resulted in the Council incurring unwarranted expenditure of £195,739." "A Special Scrutiny Panel reviewed the council's actions and concluded that the heart of the matters was a failure by members to balance the fourfold responsibilities of a Councillor: to represent their ward, as a member of a political group, to foster the best interest of the whole district, and to act in a quasi-judicial role."

---

The Future - will there be more houses in the Kibworths?

Harborough District Council issued their Housing and Employment Options consultation documents in June 2006 with a response date by 24th July 2006.  This sets out a large number of potential sites for housing and/or employment across the District.  The number of sites will be reduced for a preferred options document being issued for consultation in the Spring of 2007.

The proposed housing/employment locations in the Gartree division are listed below CLPA villages indicated with *):

Parish	Where	Ha Area	Possible # Dwellings
Billesdon	Rear of Coplow Centre	4.4	132
Billesdon	Highfield House Farm	2.7	81
Billesdon (mixed use)	Adjoining A47	2.62	79
Burton Overy*	Thistle Cottage, Scotland Road	0.82	25
East Langton	Land off Back Lane	0.85	26
Gaulby	Land at Stoughton Road	0.4	12
Gaulby	Land at Limes Farm	0.37	11
Great Glen*	GG/2	11.29	339
Great Glen*	Land off Oaks Road	3.93	118
Great Glen*	Land junction Station Road/London Road	0.48	14
Great Glen*	Land junction London Road	2.47	74
Great Glen*	Land at Glen Rise, off London Road	14.71	441
Great Glen (mixed use)*	Glen Rise extension	9.48	284
Great Glen*	Land south A6 Oadby boundary	6.71	201
Great Glen*	Land north A6 Oadby boundary	5.52	166
Great Glen*	Extension of GG/2 allocation	10.56	317
Great Glen*	Site at Stretton Hall Farm Land	94	2820
Kibworth Beauchamp*	West - Extension to KB/1 south of railway line	0.52	16
Kibworth (both parishes)*	East - Land off Birdie Close	10.52	316
Newton Harcourt (Wistow)*	Land at Wistow Road	1.17	35
Slawston	Land off Main Street	0.6	18
Thorpe Langton	Stone Cottage Farm	0.7	21
Tur Langton	The Bulls Head Public House	0.47	14
Total overall housing			5196
Total overall mixed use			363
Total overall	Residual overall (2005-2016) is 3,266		5559
Total CLPA housing			4871
Total CLPA mixed			284
Total CLPA	Residual CLPA (2005 - 2016) is 1,528		5155

 

---

What is it all about - background

There are a raft of strategic documents which are the basis for the planning process and these include the the Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Structure Plan 1996 - 2016 which is a new Plan and will eventually replace the adopted Leicestershire Structure Plan that covers the period up to 2006.  These provide a strategic planning framework for development and use of land consistent with national and regional policy. Structure Plans guide the more detailed policies and proposals of Local Plans and decisions on planning applications.  So, in addition there is the adopted Local Plan produced by HDC which sets out detailed policies and land-use proposals to guide development in the District. This existing Plan covers the period 1991-2006.  Last autumn, HDC started a consultation on a draft replacement Local Plan which will run from 2006 to 2016.

As part of the decision process for the Local Plan, HDC had to demonstrate there were adequate numbers of housing proposals within the district to meet their statutory commitment of 9,750 houses in total to be completed by 2006.  Although sufficient development areas had been identified to meet this target, HDC decided to allocate and prioritise three additional sites (MH/3 Land to the west of Farndon Road in Market Harborough, KB/1 Land off Warwick Road, Kibworth and GG/2 Land off Stretton Road, Great Glen) in case any of the other agreed sites around the District failed to meet their quotas within the plan period ending 2006.  As of March 2003, HDC concluded that there was a notional over-provision against this target of 304 dwellings.  One would therefore assume that there would be no need to release MH3, KB/1 or GG/2 yet.

Draft revised Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) - Monitoring of Housing Land 2003

KB/1 is an area of land off the Warwick Road north of the railway line consisting of 18.3 hectares of agricultural land.  The Local Plan recommends the use of some 16.5 hectares for development leaving 1.8 hectares for recreational purposes. At the latest government recommended housing density of 40 to 50 dwellings per hectare, for rural centres such as Kibworth, we could be looking at over 400 up to a maximum of 565 houses.  HDC have previously agreed the overall site capacity to be 440 dwellings, and there has been mention of a maximum of 300 dwellings, so going along with Government guidance could dramatically change the perceptions of the size of this development.

Clearly, there has been a breakdown in communication within the Planning department at HDC, as it was only in 1995 that almost 3,000 Kibworth people objected to the original plans for KB/1 when the draft Local Plan was being consulted upon.

If you have any views on this matter, please let me have them through the on-line surgery or via e-mail or by telephone (0116 279 3232).

Back to Top

Kibworth Beauchamp Road Safety Scheme

For the latest on the traffic safety measures, click here (May, 2009 )

May 2009: A6 deaths
Seven people have been killed on the A6 south of the Kibworth Waste Tip since 2004.  A young doctor died when her car left the road late at night in December 2004; two people died during a head-on collision at speed in February 2005 (subsequent Inquest in September 2005 heard that one driver had high levels of drugs in their blood and had been overtaking at 90mph when he collided with an oncoming vehicle; neither driver had been wearing a seat-belt), and a pedestrian was killed by a hit and run driver in April 2005.  Accident investigations as to the cause of the first three have included, as well as police research, some engineering stress tests on the carriageway itself.  Since the initial number of fatalities, there have been three more deaths on the section of road between the Kibworth tip and the McDonald's roundabout.  In July 2006 there was a fatality of a motor bike rider, in October 2010 a car driver was killed and in April 2009 another driver was killed.  All of these accidents have been put down to excessive speed.

The results have been discussed with the Highways Agency, who were responsible for laying the road surfacing in 2003 and for the route until passing responsibility for maintenance to the County Council in October 2004.  

Outcome: A new surface dressing was applied to the section of A6 from the railway bridge southwards to the Gun Club in early August 2005, to ensure this section of road continues to meet current safety standards.  Additional white lining has also been used to deter speeding and unsafe overtaking.

Traffic Safety Scheme - progress at last  (July 2003)

History

Both Kibworth parishes have problems with poor parking, congestion and traffic problems and nothing seems to be happening to resolve any of them.  There has been no satisfactory progress on traffic management in the Kibworth ward for years because there has been insufficient focus on the key issues.  Attention has been sidelined into the Section 106 developer contributions expected from the planning application for houses off the Warwick Road. 

In order to focus attention on these issues, Kevin Feltham called a public meeting on 26th March 2002 to widen the debate on this vital topic for the whole ward.  Representatives from the two Kibworth and Smeeton Westerby parish councils met two district councillors and 16 business representatives from the High Street, Fleckney Road and Station Street.  Three County Council Highways/Transport officers attended: two from the traffic division at County Hall, and Clive Howe, the Harborough Highways Forum manager.

Frank Griffiths, a local businessman and consultant civil engineer, started off proceedings with an outline of some of the problems including the potential outcome of the Great Glen by-pass having no traffic calming measures as the vehicles enter Kibworth Harcourt, the parking problems through Kibworth Beauchamp and the exits from the villages onto the A6.

Daytime car parking in Kibworth Beauchamp centre Note that Paget Street car park is frequently almost full, whereas the new Co-op and School Road car parks are frequently empty.

A large number of points were raised in the ensuing discussion with issues raised for all three villages including problem streets (Fleckney Road, High Street, Station Street, New Road, Albert Street, Main Street, Church Road), speeding, traffic calming measures, parking both on and off-street, parking bays with disabled spaces, waiting restrictions, weight restrictions, traffic wardens and policing, CCTV and better lighting in School Road car park, roundabout on The Bank, Paget Street car park, increasing traffic using Warwick Road, and accessing the A6 during peak hours.

Initial progress (May, 2003)

1. As a result of requests from the parish council, officers agreed to research the issues and put together some options which could be discussed by the parish councils and then presented to the public.  A site meeting was held on 19th December between parish councillors, County officers and the Consulting Engineers acting on behalf of the County Council. the objective was to consider what parish councillors envisage should be carried out to solve the traffic problems in Station Street, New Road, High Street and Fleckney Road.
   
2. The officers and engineers agreed to produce plans and options for presentation to a special meeting of Councillors later in 2003.
   
3. Steve Richards (Waterman Burrow and Crocker) and Clive Hodges (LCC) presented their initial options to a special meeting with Kibworth Beauchamp Parish, District and County Councillors and representatives of the High Street Retailers on 30th April 2003.  Kibworth Beauchamp Parish Council held a public exhibition as part of the consultation process with the public during the summer.  The extensive traffic calming options include speed tables, priority pinchpoints, new pedestrian refuges, restricted parking and parking bays and cover Fleckney Road, High Street, Smeeton Road, Church Road, Station Street, the Bank, and New Road.

Public consultation started (September 2005)

   County Council engineers have been working over many months, with local elected representatives, to produce this draft road safety scheme.  It was important that people take the opportunity to comment on the scheme, and so three exhibition events were arranged in order for business people and residents of Kibworth Beauchamp, Kibworth Harcourt, and also the surrounding villages, to see draft plans of what is proposed, meet with and discuss the scheme with officers and councillors, and complete comment forms.  The views of residents and traders from the two Kibworths are paramount, as this scheme will mainly affect the main shopping centre, and those living and working on the main thoroughfares.  

A combination of different measures are suggested, including vehicle speed activated signs on Fleckney Road and New Road; speed cushions on Church Road, Station Street, Smeeton Road, New Road, High Street and Fleckney Road; a zebra crossing on Church Road and parking restrictions on Station Street and High Street.

Results of September Consultation (May 2006)

Several hundred comment forms were received and a huge majority of respondents were in general favour of the proposals.  Waiting restrictions was less popular than the prevention of pavement parking by using specific marked parking spaces and pavement bollards.

The scheme has already been highlighted as a key safety project for the 2006/7 financial year by Leicestershire County Council.  

As so many were in favour of the scheme, comments have been taken on board and a modified proposal, primarily removing waiting restrictions in the first phase, was discussed with Kibworth Beauchamp Parish Council and district councillors in February 2006.  A final consultation leaflet was issued to all houses in the two villages towards the end of March 2006 with a deadline for comments of early April.  

This did not draw out any further major objections, although further discussions were held about ongoing monitoring of cyclists' needs,  and so the scheme went forward for final costing and approval as a 2006/7 scheme by the County Council.  The scheme has been approved and work began in early September 2006

Latest news on Traffic Safety Scheme (May, 2009 )

Construction of the pedestrian preference scheme started at the end of September and was completed in the first week of December 2006.

To date there have been a number of criticisms of the scheme. Although the majority of comments are critical, there have been some supportive comments too.  A public discussion was held on 23rd February in the Methodist Church. 

LCC Highways engineers from the Integrated Transport Schemes section met with Kibworth Beauchamp & Kibworth Harcourt Parish Councils and Kibworth ward District Councillors on 28th February.  The meeting has led to a number of further actions by Highways engineers who reported back to another meeting of parish and district councillors on 28th March 2007.

A report is being prepared by the officers for the May Kibworth Chronicle to follow up their report in March's edition. Here is the latest position.

 

Highways engineers have been in the village for the past month checking every measure against the original design specification and in the light of the comments received.  A number of amendments to the scheme were agreed and they will be monitored for a period after they have been implemented.  The main headline changes are as follows:

• Yellow lines were always included in the original design of the scheme but were taken out when the Government changed the responsibility for parking enforcement, and until the new enforcement procedures were confirmed.  Traffic Regulation Orders for waiting restrictions on Station Street and High Street are now in hand with an expected mid to late May installation, unless there are many objections. On Station Street they will go the full length from the church side of the railway bridge to the disabled bay by the doctor's surgery, leaving the parking bays on the Village Hall side available. Loading/unloading restrictions are also being reviewed on these stretches of road to prevent congestion from lorry deliveries or other obstructive parking, especially at peak times.
• Although Harborough District Council do not take responsibility for parking enforcement until July this year, the police are aware of the proposals and will work to ensure the restrictions are adhered to and any infringement is dealt with. From this July, parking enforcement is a District responsibility.
• Gateway features (pinch-points) near the Co-op and Chemist are as per specification and are considered essential to help control traffic speeds. They are the width of a large van so are not excessive. Apart from when a lorry or bus is oncoming, there is sufficient width for two cars to pass each other; it is a matter of drivers getting used to a different road width and layout.  The left turn out of the Co-op is as per specification.  Personally I am managing this manoevre better now that I am getting more used to the changed layout.  Pedestrians like the pinch-points as they make it much safer and easier to cross the roads.
• Replacement, robust bollards in the same style, colour etc. and with reflective patches, will be fitted at the same time as the yellow lines are introduced to get maximum effect. There is a bollard position at the entrance to Stuart Court, in front of the Old Swan, to protect the vision for those turning left out of that entrance way, and once replaced this should ease the situation for drivers. Two additional bollards will be installed to help school buses turning into and out of Smeeton Road.
• Concurrently with the safety measures, and unrelated, there has been a programme of street light replacements through the village. These street lights are now becoming operational, and with the reflective patches on bollards, should ensure improved visibility of the gateway features.
• Some minor adjustments to white lines on roads (e.g. Station Street and High Street) will be done at the same time as the yellow lines to re-position the centre-line.
• The Vehicle Activated Sign on New Road was positioned incorrectly and it will be re-positioned nearer to the A6 so picking up the speeds of vehicles coming down from the A6 towards the railway bridge on New Road before they slow for the speed cushions. No proposals for limiting parking on speed cushions on Fleckney Road and New Road yet, but under review and checking for any reported problems for cyclists
• All speed cushions have been correctly installed according to specifications. There are two widths but all are the same height (7cm). They are identical to those commonly used as the latest form of measures to restrict speeds throughout the country and county. Straddling them with one set of wheels either side means vehicles ride higher up the sloped edges with the wider cushions, giving the effect of them being higher. The 1.75m wider cushions are designed to slow traffic to an average speed in the low to mid 20s mph, the 1.65m narrower cushions can be taken at slightly higher speeds. They are a physical device to slow speeds of cars to less than 30mph and are doing the job they were designed to do. Full road-width speed tables were ruled out during the early statutory consultation with the emergency services because of the jarring effect on both ambulances and fire engines.  Both these vehicles can safely straddle the speed cushions with minimal effect on their operations. An unfortunate effect of these cushions is that buses and lorries can also straddle them easily; however, the gateway features (see above) with the bollards replaced, are designed to slow the larger vehicles.  Where pavements are low (opposite Meadowbrook), the kerbs are expected to be rectified once the housing development is completed; so preventing cars driving over the pavement to avoid speed cushions.
• After discussion with the the councillors, agreement has been reached to remove upto three sets of speed cushions (i.e. 25%). Officers still have concerns that the original design criteria and levels of speed reduction may not then be met, but wanted to demonstrate that the County Council has listened to the anxiety and comments from the public and councillors, including myself. Ongoing 24 hour monitoring of speeds and numbers of vehicles will continue, and if excessive speeds are encountered, the position regarding speed cushions, or alternative measures, will be kept under review.  The meeting, with advice from officers, selected cushions that would ease the east-west travel through the village in particular, with one set being removed from Fleckney Road, one set from New Road and the final pair being removed by the Smeeton Road/Threshers junction.  The timing of these speed cushion changes has still to be confirmed depending on the availability of road engineers and any road closure regulations, so it will not be immediate, but will be completed by the late summer

The majority of drivers are coping with the scheme now and average speeds through the village, which was one of the principal objectives of the scheme, are well under 30mph, although there are still exceptions, with some excessive speeding between cushions, some dangerous overtaking and some pavement parking still, and a few drivers are still parking alongside the bollards and causing obstruction.  Use of the free car parks is increasing slowly, with the Co-op car park occasionally full.  Nobody has commented on the removal of the wooden bollard and pinch-point on School Road by the entrance to the Methodist Church which has eased some congestion problems there and improved access to the Methodist Church for funerals etc. The zebra crossing on Church Hill, as included in the school travel plan, is being increasingly used by school children and parents (so reducing traffic congestion on Hillcrest Avenue), and the speed cushions are essential to ensure a physical measure to slow traffic approaching it. Pedestrians and electric car users are finding the new measures extremely helpful, especially the gateway (pinch-point) features at both Co-op and Chemist, the drop kerbs, the improved vision at road junctions and the wider pavements without parked cars. They will feel even safer once the bollards have been replaced.

 

The scheme will be monitored for a period to review the changes.  Please continue to let me have your comments so I can pass them onto the relevant Highways officers and the parish councils.

 

 Improving access onto the A6 (April, 2009)

Finally for those who commented about the access onto the A6, this was never part of the traffic safety scheme which was specifically requested by the parish council.  No formal request for easing the traffic congestion has been received from the parish council, but I am aware there is a major problem and something needs to be done. Some funding has been identified in the community contributions (section 106) from the KB/1 housing development for some work to relieve congestion problems, particularly on New Road.  The new roundabout at the Wistow Road junction has altered traffic flows from Leicester and the new "Warwick Road" has provided an alternative exit from the village. The likeliest solution for New Road, I understand, and subject to a full survey in due course, is traffic signals at the A6 junction.  I will continue to campaign that this is implemented as soon as funding becomes available.

 

Concerns raised during the consultation

Points raised (and some solutions) have included:

• Speed cushions causing problems for people with existing back pain problems - correct speed should not cause problems

• Scheme has greatly improved safety for pedestrians - better visibility at junctions, safe and protected wide pavements, slower 
  traffic speeds because of cushions and Vehicle activated signs (VAS)

• Cyclists could be put at risk by having to use central gap between speed cushions or riding over a corner - reviewing

• Bollards are not preventing parking on Station Street and High Street - experimental yellow lines to be implemented a.s.a.p.

• Inconsiderate parking on Station Street has led to heavy congestion and prevented buses getting through -yellow lines to be
  implemented a.s.a.p. (Spring/Summer 2007)

• If waiting restrictions are introduced, who will enforce them? - police until July 2007 then HDC enforcement officers

• Bollards are too dark at night and cannot be seen - reflective strips being fitted

• Zebra crossing on Church Road supports the School Travel Plan - should greatly reduce the number of 
  parents who drive their children to drop-off points on Hillcrest Avenue and St Wilfrid's Close

• Bollards on Station Street are too far apart, and so still allow people to park on pavements - reviewing

• Bollards too flimsy, so being broken off by drivers - more robust bollards (same size, colour and style) being fitted by end of March

• Belisha beacon lights on Church Road zebra crossing too intrusive - resolved with deflectors

• Wouldn't VAS have been enough - why do we also have to have speed cushions? - physical prevention of speeding necessary 
  especially alongside pedestrians

• Why couldn't we have had speed platforms rather than speed cushions? - Fire Service objections to tables

• Removal of some parking spaces (The Bank) will lead to shop closures - monitoring

• VAS on New Road is in wrong place - this will be solved by moving it nearer to the A6

Can you think of any more?  Do you have a constructive comment/criticism? Please let me know your views through the on-line surgery or via e-mail or by telephone (0116 279 3232)

A summary of the scheme, the proposals and regular updates can be viewed on the Integrated Transport Schemes section of the County Council website - see here

Back to Top

Effects of Great Glen by-pass on traffic entering Kibworth Harcourt  (Updated December, 2002)  

(Minister opens Great Glen Bypass in 2003 - press here to read details)

The principal action taken by Dr Kevin Feltham has been to ask the Highways Agency to review the effect the Great Glen by-pass will have on the Killed and Serious Injury (KSI) statistics for Kibworth Harcourt on the A6.  He successfully persuaded the planners that some traffic calming measures were required at the southern end of the by-pass.

Highways Agency estimates for the number of accidents and deaths that the Great Glen by-pass will save are as follows:

Over the past 5 years the accidents recorded for Kibworth Harcourt are 2 deaths, 3 serious accidents and 34 slight accidents (total 39).  

A meeting was held on 15th July 2002 between Edward Garnier QC MP and Dr Kevin Feltham together with the Route Sponsor from the Highways Agency, two representatives from AMScott (the new Managing Agents for the area since 1st July replacing PLaN) and a representative of the Harborough Highways Partnership to discuss options and proposals for slowing traffic entering Kibworth Harcourt from the Great Glen by-pass (completion due March 2003).  The meeting included a very positive discussion of not just the potential for preventing accidents caused by excessive speeds exiting from the by-pass (including roundabouts, traffic lights, speed cameras, vehicle speed activated signs etc.) but also looking at reducing accidents at the hazardous junctions along the A6 within the village.  AMScott have agreed to implement a Strategic Identification Study over the summer so that all the facts and figures are collated and possible solutions can then be further discussed from September.  Dr Feltham ensured that Kibworth residents, district and parish councillors were appraised of all developments as they became available.  His recommendation that vehicle speed activated signs be installed at either end of the village was eventually agreed by the Highways Agency, and they have been very successful in slowing traffic entering the village.

One of the conclusions of the meeting was that implementing further speed reduction measures along the A6 in the village could have the effect of reducing the justification for a Kibworth by-pass.  The costs of major road developments are justified using a combination of serious accident statistics and journey time savings; by reducing the accidents, the case for the by-pass would be less cost-effective. A further meeting to outline the AMScott Strategic Identification Study of traffic measures along the A6 through Kibworth Harcourt was held on 14th October 2002. 

NEWS (December 2002): There was a presentation of the proposals to the Harborough Highways Partnership in HDC offices at 6.30pm on Monday 4th November (open to public) by AMScott and the Highways Agency, and a further presentation was given to the East Gartree Community Forum in Kibworth Methodist Church at 6.30pm on Monday 9th December. Considerable discussion took place at the Forum meeting with further requests for proposals to help ease the congestion occurring at New Road and Church Road in the morning rush hour; the Highways Agency representative pointed out that this was not the subject of the current safety measures scheme but he would look into it.  If the proposals for the A6 are agreed then some of the initial measures will be in place before Christmas coinciding with the partial completion of the Great Glen by-pass, and the remainder are on the priority list for next financial year.

Minister opened Great Glen Bypass on Wednesday 19th February
David Jamieson (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Transport) officially opened the Great Glen Bypass at 1pm on Wednesday 19th February 2003.  I raised the concerns raised by Kibworth residents and councillors directly with him. Subsequently, members of the Harborough Highways Partnership and other local councillors met with the Highways Agency and Leicestershire County Council on 10th April 2003.  No real progress was made, but the HA did agree to take away a number of the points made and discuss them further including problems raised by Burton Overy residents, congested roads accessing the A6 in the Kibworths and the speed limits for traffic entering the Kibworths from the south.

A6 (T) DETRUNKING

The Highways Agency published the draft Order for detrunking the A6 (T) south of Leicester to the A14 near Rothwell in Northamptonshire in 2003.  The responsibility for the upkeep of the A6 transfers to the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire County Councils. The detrunking of the A6 took place in October 2004.

We need to be sure the horrendous accident rates from Great Glen are not just passed onto Kibworth Harcourt.  Please let me know your views through the on-line surgery or via e-mail or by telephone (0116 279 3232)

Back to Top

Proposal to introduce "Kibworth Harcourt" as a locality name instead of just "Kibworth"  (March, 2006)

STOP PRESS (July 2006) - Permission granted - overwhelming support to change name to Kibworth Harcourt

In 2005, the Kibworth Harcourt Conservation Society (KHCS) asked Dr Kevin Feltham, Leicestershire County Councillor for the Gartree Division and Chairman of the KHCS, for help enquiring of the Royal Mail about whether the epithet "Harcourt" could be restored to "Kibworth" as the official postal locality name for addresses in Kibworth Harcourt.  Addresses in both Kibworth Beauchamp and Kibworth Harcourt have been officially recorded in the postal address file database of the Royal Mail as "Kibworth", over 25 years ago, following rationalisation by the GPO of telephone exchanges and postal addresses.  After contacting the Royal Mail Address Development department in Shrewsbury, it was clear that there was a process to achieve the required result. This was clarified in a letter from the Royal Mail dated 7 December 2005, which stated that following consultations with operational colleagues, the proposal was deemed not to have any adverse effect on the quality of the postal delivery service and efficiency of the Royal Mail operation.  The next stage was for support to be obtained from a range of customer representatives, and to provide an acceptable geographical boundary data, so that all the addresses affected by the proposal could be accurately identified.

The list of customer representatives (and outcomes of requests for support) was:

• Leicestershire County Council - support letter received from Chief Executive dated 20 December 2005
• Kibworth Harcourt Parish Council - support letter received from Parish Clerk dated 12 January 2006
• Regional office of POSTWATCH (Midlands) - support letter received from Consumer Services Officer dated 6 January 2006
• Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce & Industry - support letter received from Group Managing Director dated 16 February 2006
• National office of POSTWATCH (London) - support letter received from Policy Assistant dated 10 January 2006
• Member of Parliament (Edward Garnier QC MP) - support letter received dated 22 December 2005
• Harborough District Council - letter requesting support to Chief Executive sent March 2006

In addition, geographical boundary data was provided by the Leicestershire County Council in the form of maps, containing postcode points in the parish and village, and a list of postcodes within the Kibworth Harcourt boundary.

LE8 0JH LE8 0JS LE8 0JX LE8 0LW LE8 0LX LE8 0LY LE8 0LZ LE8 0NA LE8 0ND LE8 0NE LE8 0NL LE8 0NP LE8 0NQ LE8 0NR LE8 0NS LE8 0NT LE8 0NU

LE8 0NY LE8 0PE LE8 0PR LE8 0PT LE8 0PX LE8 0RB LE8 0RF LE8 0RG LE8 0RU LE8 0SG LE8 0UW LE8 0WB LE8 0WW LE8 0WX LE8 0WY LE8 0WZ

All of this supporting information was sent to the Royal Mail Address Development department on 18th February 2006.

The remainder of the process

Once the Royal Mail had digested the supplied information and verified the boundary data, letters were sent to all those affected, giving everybody the opportunity to register their objections to the proposal to replace Kibworth with Kibworth Harcourt.  They were given three weeks to register objections, and at the end of this period, we were advised of the result and the next steps.  As less than 20% objections were received, the Royal Mail agreed to amend the database used by utilities and service organisations to obtain verified postal addresses.  From the date when those organisations update their databases from the Royal Mail (usually twice a year), post will start being delivered to addresses in Kibworth Harcourt, with Kibworth Harcourt as the official locality, not Kibworth.

STOP PRESS (July 2006) - Successful outcome of ballot means Kibworth Harcourt name is restored to official addresses

Today (13th July 2006), we received final written confirmation that the name "Kibworth" is being replaced with "Kibworth Harcourt" in the official Postal Address File managed by Royal Mail..

 

Kevin Feltham stated "Today Kibworth Harcourt got back its historic name and identity.  Today a 20th century piece of bureaucracy was put right.  This deserves a celebration and I trust villagers throughout Kibworth Harcourt can toast the Royal Mail for their understanding and help in achieving this change in our official postal addresses, and restoration of the village name.  A massive 98.5% level of support (only 7 out of 461 objected to the change), means this campaign has clearly touched an important heritage spot with villagers."

 

"Every household and business will be notified of the change by Royal Mail in the next few days. The official address file has already been updated with the new correct village name.  I would like to thank all the villagers for their support over the last year.  I am sorry for the 19 households on New Road who will now have to change their postcode, and trust they are not too inconvenienced by this restoration of their village identity.  I hope that whenever any area in this village is referred to in future, the full name of Kibworth Harcourt is always used."

But what about Kibworth Beauchamp?

This project does not include any changes for addresses in Kibworth Beauchamp.  The process for changing the official locality name is now well understood, and it would be relatively easy for somebody in Kibworth Beauchamp, who feels strongly that the locality name should include "Beauchamp" to go through the same process.  Dr Kevin Feltham will be pleased to pass on the necessary details to anybody who is interested in following it up. Already two separate groups from K. Beauchamp have approached Kevin in July 2006 to obtain the details.  Contact him through the on-line surgery or via e-mail or by telephone (0116 279 3232).  Two people from Kibworth Beauchamp have expressed an interest in leading a campaign to re-intruduce the Beauchamp locaility name.

Back to Top

Kibworth Ward Statistics  (updated May, 2009 )

The 2001 Census figures are beginning to be made available for the general public and here are a few of the statistics for the Kibworth Ward including the Langtons.  The statistics will be added to and amended as time goes by, so please visit the website regularly for the latest information.

Resident Population and Age

The resident population of the Kibworth Ward as measured in the 2001 Census was 6,081 of which 48% were male and 52% female. In these tables of the resident population, the figures are percentages.

Age range	Kibworth	Harborough	England & Wales
Under 16	20.7	20.2	20.2
16 to 19	3.8	4.4	4.9
20 to 29	7.5	9.2	12.6
30 to 59	45.0	45.4	41.5
60 to 74	13.9	13.5	13.3
75 and over	9.0	7.2	7.6
Average age	40.9	39.6	38.6

Religion

Economic Activity

Back to Top

FOOTPATH STILE REPLACED (May, 2009)

Rarely in my eight years as a County Councillor have I been able to effect a solution as quickly as recently happened. This followed a request for a stile to be replaced by a gate on a footpath in Smeeton Westerby.  People may think we have powers to change things quickly, but in reality we work within policies and guidelines and changes usually take time!

In this case, a request for the change came from a couple who were finding it increasingly difficult to climb over the stile.  I raised the matter with the Rights of Way officers, went and had a look at the stile myself, and was resigned to a period of time before a solution could be installed.

To my delight, and that of the original couple who requested the change, it was carried out within a week, so walkers using the footpath at the end of Blacksmith’s Lane now have a user-friendly gate to greatly improve access onto the rights of way network.

Back to Top

Bus services: 44 Kibworth - Fleckney service (Updated February, 2005)  
plus Burton Overy, Wistow & Newton Harcourt

The regular No. 49 bus service linking the communities of Kibworth and Fleckney was stopped on 23rd February 2002 by the commercial bus company, Arriva.  The low passenger figures averaging 11.4 journeys a day were the primary reason given for Arriva's decision to withdraw the 49 service.  Cllr. Dr Kevin Feltham (East Gartree) and Cllr. Peter Boult (West Gartree) are supporting a campaign to have this service either replaced by Arriva or a substitute service provided through the County rural bus service.

Petitions were run in both Kibworth Beauchamp and Fleckney and on Friday 22nd February 492 signatures from Kibworth were delivered to Dr Feltham.  On Monday 25th February Cllr. Boult collected the forms from Saddington and Fleckney and there were 249 signatures.  That gives a total of 741 people who support the bus link between the villages; what a magnificent response.

Kevin Feltham and Peter Boult delivered the petitions to the Acting Director of the Department of Planning & Transportation at County Hall on 27th February.  A report was presented by the Transport Section to the Planning & Environment Scrutiny Committee on 2nd May and both Dr Feltham and Mr Boult spoke in support of a bus service being restored between the two villages.  The County Transport Section agreed to bring forward the review of rural bus services in the area to June and to produce a further report to the Scrutiny Committee in September (LCC Highways, Transportation & Waste Management Scrutiny 19/09/2002). 

County Council Rural Bus Service Review

The County Council team started the review process in the Kibworth and Fleckney area during the summer of 2002 and the table below is the timetable for the new hourly 44 bus service from Saturday 1st February 2003.

Arriva Fox County Service 44 hourly bus timetable
Fleckney	0705	0745	0904	1004	1104	1204	1304	1404	1504	1604	1704	1804
Saddington	0709	0749	0908	1008	1108	1208	1308	1408	1508	1608	1708	1808
Smeeton Westerby	0712	0752	0911	1011	1111	1211	1311	1411	1511	1611	1711	1811
Kibworth Square	0716	0756	0915	1015	1115	1215	1315	1415	1515	1615	1715	1815
Tur Langton	0721	0801	0920	1020	1120	1220	1320	1420	1520	1620	1720	1820
Church Langton	0724	0804	0923	1023	1123	1223	1323	1423	1523	1623	1723	1823
East Langton	0726	0806	0925	1025	1125	1225	1325	1425	1525	1625	1725	1825
Thorpe Langton	0729	0809	0928	1028	1128	1228	1328	1428	1528	1628	1728	1828
Great Bowden	0734	0814	0933	1033	1133	1233	1333	1433	1533	1633	1733	1833
Railway Station	0738	0818	0937	1037	1137	1237	1337	1437	1537	1637	1737	1837
Market Harborough	0743	0823	0942	1042	1142	1242	1342	1442	1542	1642	1742	1842
Robert Smyth Sch	0747	0827	0946	1046	1146	1246	1346	1446	1546	1646	1746	1846
St Luke's Hospital	0749	0829	0948	1048	1148	1248	1348	1448	1548	1648	1748	1748
Gartree	0755	0835	0954	1054	1154	1254	1354	1454	1554	1654	1754	1854
Foxton	0800	0840	0959	1059	1159	1259	1359	1459	1559	1659	1759	1859
Foxton	0645	0802	0902	1002	1102	1202	1302	1402	1502	1602	1702	1802
Gartree	0650	0807	0907	1007	1107	1207	1307	1407	1507	1607	1707	1807
St Luke's Hospital	0656	0813	0913	1013	1113	1213	1313	1413	1513	1613	1713	1813
Robert Smyth Sch	0658	0815	0915	1015	1115	1215	1315	1415	1515	1615	1715	1815
Market Harborough	0702	0819	0919	1019	1119	1219	1319	1419	1519	1619	1719	1819
Railway Station	0707	0824	0924	1024	1124	1224	1324	1424	1524	1624	1724	1824
Great Bowden	0711	0828	0928	1028	1128	1228	1328	1428	1528	1628	1728	1828
Thorpe Langton	0716	0833	0933	1033	1133	1233	1333	1433	1533	1633	1733	1833
East Langton	0719	0836	0936	1036	1136	1236	1336	1436	1536	1636	1736	1836
Church Langton	0721	0838	0938	1038	1138	1238	1338	1438	1538	1638	1738	1838
Tur Langton	0724	0841	0941	1041	1141	1241	1341	1441	1541	1641	1741	1841
Kibworth Square	0729	0846	0946	1046	1146	1246	1346	1446	1546	1646	1746	1846
Smeeton Westerby	0733	0850	0950	1050	1150	1250	1350	1450	1550	1650	1750	1850
Saddington	0736	0853	0953	1053	1153	1253	1353	1453	1553	1653	1753	1853
Fleckney	0740	0857	0957	1057	1157	1257	1357	1457	1557	1657	1757	1857

This proposed timetable no longer goes via Lubenham and so we now are able to have a truly integrated transport system running to Market Harborough Railway Station from Smeeton Westerby, Kibworth Beauchamp and the Langtons. 

Also, Burton Overy, Wistow and Newton Harcourt are not included on this hourly bus service timetable.  These villages will not be on the hourly network but the Transport Section intends to consult with these communities to determine an appropriate transport solution - this could be a feeder service to the hourly network or a demand responsive service travelling to Leicester or Market Harborough directly.  Public meetings to consult on the future bus provision for these villages were held in Burton Overy Village Hall on 10th October and 16th January. 

Arriva announced in August that they are relinquishing the following three contracted services in the East Gartree area:  143 and 144 - Burton Overy/Fleckney/Kibworth/Foxton and other villages to Market Harborough, and 173 Great Easton to Market Harborough.  It is hoped that the cessation of these services will not occur until the new hourly service is in place.

Great Easton - The Arriva Fox County 176 bus service from Great Easton to Leicester was withdrawn through lack of use from 7th December.

If you have any comments to make on this proposed timetable then please contact me and tell me through the on-line surgery or via e-mail before the end of September 2002. 

Back to Top