Latest news with #MidlandRoad
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
'Bedford "gateway' road fully reopens a year after work began
Two lanes of a "gateway" into a town are reopening nearly a year after work began to transform and regenerate the August, one lane on Midland Road, Bedford, has been shut to allow for work to repave, widen and improve the Luthra, from Bubbly's Travel, welcomed the reopening but said construction had had an impact on every business in the area and most customers had "stayed away". Andrea Spice, a Conservative at Bedford Borough Council, said the authority had worked really hard to "accommodate businesses". Midland Road will reopen to traffic both ways on Wednesday, the council said. The improvement work was part of the "Midland Road public realm improvements", which has been paid for through the Bedford Town Deal, a £22.6m government investment aimed at revitalising the town centre. Mr Luthra added: "Most of the customers stayed away, they don't come on this side, you talk to someone [they say] 'oh Midland Road nah, we're not going there because of the road closure'."It has affected every business a little bit here, the restaurant next door has suffered a lot." Ms Spice, portfolio holder for economic growth, planning and prosperity, said: "There were parts of the town you could park and walk to, you might not have been able to park right outside, I appreciate that."I hope shopkeepers know we've tried really hard to accommodate them and their businesses."We have improved the pavement, we've re-laid it, we have improved the pavement, it looks clean, it looks fresh, it's wider in parts."We've tried really hard to lift this part of town, which is a massive gateway for us because if you come off the train and you want to get into the town centre this is the road you walk down and this is your first impression of Bedford." Samantha Laycock, chair of the Bedford Town Deal Board, said: "This is just the beginning of Midland Road's transformation." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Shoes and protein bars among valuable stolen goods in Bedford
Shoes and protein bars were among a haul of stolen goods recovered by police worth hundreds of thousands of perfume and baby clothes were also found at a three-storey building on Midland Road in Police had acquired a warrant for the location after intelligence suggested it was being used for illicit activity.A man was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods and possession of criminal property and was later released on bail. Sgt Slav Konopka said: "We take the handling of stolen goods extremely seriously, as we recognise that the profits often fuel wider criminal networks and may involve the exploitation and coercion of vulnerable individuals. "This type of crime also hits retailers hard, which is turn drives up costs that ultimately get passed on to us as the customers." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
