Results of Woburn Sands Town Council’s community survey on proposals for reducing transport-related carbon emissions and promoting a healthier local environment for both people and wildlife
This survey, produced by the Woburn Sands Climate Change Group on behalf of the Town Council, was distributed throughout the town and put up on the TC’s website in January, 2022. A total of 379 completed survey forms were eventually returned from about 3400 delivered. The survey form and a summary of the numerical results (as bar charts showing proportions of graded positive to negative responses to each question) are appended as separate downloadable pdf files here (please ask at the TC if you can’t access them).
Concerning transport (Section A of the survey), most respondents were evidently keen to reduce the impact of excessive motor traffic on the town and to encourage more walking and cycling. Thus there were substantial overall majorities (>75%) in favour of Woburn Sands becoming a ‘Low Traffic Neighbourhood’, with a uniform 20mph speed limit throughout the town, and also for a campaign to discourage engine-idling. Clear majorities (>60%) also supported making the High Street more pedestrian-friendly and extending the MK Redway network within Woburn Sands, and a sizeable minority called for more cycle racks (46% for; 12% against). Addition of new pedestrian crossings likewise received more support (46%) than opposition (17%); but more respondents opposed, than supported having a one-way traffic system in the town (38% for; 42% against).
There was overall majority support for all the proposals concerning the environment and biodiversity (Section B), with substantial majorities (>75%) in favour of more trees being planted around the town, and more wildflower growth on some grassed areas and in hanging baskets to help conserve pollinating insects, as well as the installation of bird and bat boxes on trees and TC buildings. Clear majorities (>60%) also supported street lighting being switched off in the early hours of the morning, and completely ending the use of herbicides on TC land, to reduce the impact of light and chemical pollution on wildlife.
The Town Council considered these responses at its monthly meeting on May 9th 2022 and the following actions were approved:
- As most of the proposals in Section A would require the approval of Milton Keynes Council, especially its Highways Department, we will send them the results from that section of the survey and request a meeting with their officers to explore the possibilities for action on those measures that received substantial, or clear majority support (with more specific local consultation conducted where needed).
- Most of the proposals in Section B, by contrast, can be progressed directly by the TC, and some are already being acted on, such as the planting of trees from the ‘Queen’s Green Canopy’ Jubilee Project around the town and encouraging wildflower growth and seed-set in part of Mowbray Green by not mowing over the spring and early summer, and by modifying the planting regime for our planters and hanging baskets in favour of a more pollinator-friendly make-up. Other measures will be pursued as resources allow.
Peter Skelton, Chair of WSTC Environment Committee, and Mayor 2022-23 (May 2022)
/_UserFiles/Files/Environment/WSTC survey on climate change and biodiversity_2022_Numerical Results.pdf
/_UserFiles/Files/Environment/WSTC survey on climate change and biodiversity_2022_Survey Form.pdf