News roundup
Allotments
The village allotments are now well established with gardeners reaping the rewards for their efforts.
The allotments are managed by a committee, who are responsible for the rules of the Allotment Society. These follow guidance from The National Allotments Society.
It has taken a number of years for the Parish Council to identify and organise, with many previous unsatisfied requests due to the unavailability of suitable land. The efforts and hard work by project leader and Parish Councillor, Jeff Proctor, have taken this from a wish to reality.
If you wish to register your interest for an allotment plot or find out more, please speak to, or email Jeff Proctor.
Email - jeff.proctor@cosgroveparishcouncil.org.uk.
Litter and Dog poo
Sadly, our village is suffering from litter and a small minority of dog owners not picking up after their dog. To help improve the situation, red dog bins are located in the village, on the canal towpath near the bridge and another on the towpath below the Locks.
Dog owners must also pick up when walking our Rights of Way and in fields or meadows. Other users don't want to tread in it and grazing animals can be seriously harmed if consumed. More information is available on our Village walks page.
Please help keep our parish tidy and use the bins provided throughout the village to dispose of all litter. If not near a bin, please keep it until you find one, or take it home and place in your own bin. Together we can keep our village looking its best.
Pavements and paths
With increasing volumes of traffic through the village it is vital that pavements and paths are kept clear, and pedestrians not forced to walk in the road.
Overgrowth from hedges and hanging branches obscure pavements and require cutting. Please check property boundaries and help by cutting back and clearing obstructions.
Bus services
Cosgrove is no longer served by a bus service. With no passengers from the village using the 89 bus service, it was not viable for the bus company to call through Cosgrove.
The 89 bus service, operated by Britannia still serves neighbouring villages for journeys to Stony Stratford, Wolverton and Milton Keynes Centre. View the current timetable.
Ability community bus service, a non profit company, is offering an alternative service for Cosgrove and surrounding villages. This is a request in advance service, where passengers are required to pay an annual subscription before they can use the service. Users can then book in advance to travel on the regular routes or groups can book for one off journeys, similar to a taxi service. This may suit passengers that want to visit Centre MK or Northampton on a set day in the week, but not so suitable for 'on the spur of the moment' journeys.
Details are available on the Ability community bus website - www.abilitycic.org.uk
Speed Indication Devices (SID)
Data downloads from the village SIDs indicate that 99.5% of traffic driving in the village is within the 30mph speed limit. This is very encouraging for everyone and confirms that the vast majority of drivers are considerate and law abiding. The speed indication signs are there to help drivers realise their true speed and it's known that the majority react accordingly.
The data for the 0.5% that exceed the speed limit ranges from 31mph to speeds in excess of twice the speed limit. This is concerning in a rural environment where drivers need to be aware of people, animals and road hazards.
There are three Speed Indication Devices, SIDs installed in the village, reminding drivers of their speed, helping them to stay below the speed limit and drive carefully.
Two of the devices are solar powered, one located on Bridge Road and the other on Yardley Road. Reports indicate that they have had a positive effect on traffic speed, confirming that most drivers respect the village and drive carefully. The third device is located on Stratford Road, showing traffic speed for vehicles heading towards the bends near the church.
The permanent black Speed Indication Signs on Stratford Road and Yardley Road are programmed to advise 20mph prior to school starting in the morning and again when school finishes in the afternoon.
Records of excessive speed are recorded along with the date and time and may be shared with the police in an attempt to encourage offenders to be more considerate.
Tee Junction Yardley Road/Castlethorpe Rd
Improved signage has been installed by WNC Highways at the junction in an attempt to prevent road traffic accidents and the regular misinterpretation by drivers, who claim to have not seen the 'Give Way' sign.
It has taken a number of years for the work to be done, even though a work ticket had been issued when the authority was under NCC. Cosgrove Parish Council had persevered with requests to Highways, informing them of accidents at the junction that had not been registered through the normal channels. A recorded accident required attendance by an ambulance to treat casualties. With the regularity of near misses and RTA's at the junction, the PC feared that a fatality would result if improvements weren't made.
The erection of new yellow bordered 'Give Way' signs followed the re-painting of the white lines which had been completed in early October 2023.
To continue the safety improvements in and around the village, please report incidents in the parish by emailing the Parish Council clerk, which can be by using the Contact tab above, or simply tell your nearest Parish Councillor.
Posts on Cosgrove Village Facebook page will also be viewed, but please note that for serious matters an official report is required, especially where the police need to be aware.
Roads & pavement issues, blocked drains, obstructions
West Northamptonshire Council rely on residents to identify and report issues that they are responsible to maintain. WNC use two systems for the public to report issues. Fix my Street is available as a mobile phone App, that allows a report to be made at the site of the problem, with the ability to add photographs. The other system is named Street Doctor, which is available on WNC's website. Both systems can be accessed on a tablet, laptop or computer, made more accessible by using the hyperlinks on the Organisations & Services page.
Please report all problems using Fix my Street or Street Doctor, as experience suggests that the more people that report issues, the higher the priority to resolve the issue is allocated by West Northamptonshire Council.
Please also let your nearby Parish Councillor know when you've identified and reported a problem, it can then be recorded by the Parish clerk, monitored and where necessary escalated.
Road surfaces and 20 mph requests
Highways advise that the criteria for road surface repairs on Bridge Road, below the bridge, aren't met and decline any attention.
Requests to consider setting the speed limit on roads in the village to 20mph is still being pursued by residents and the Parish Council. Any formal requests to WNC's Highways are put before a Speed Limit Review Panel for consideration. The panel includes various officers from the Road Safety and Traffic Engineering Teams and a representative from the Police Safer Roads Team, who has delegated authority from the Chief Constable.
Highways state that the path of the road should naturally encourage low speed and be self-enforcing. If drivers are currently exceeding speed limits, simply reducing the speed limit will not change their behaviour. Highways also warn that introducing a lower speed limit may provide a false sense of security to residents, especially where drivers currently drive too fast.
The responsibility to be considerate and drive through the village with due care rests with every driver. Please help keep everyone safe.
Public Spaces Protection Order - Dog Control and Prohibition of Smoking in specific public places 2022
For more details view our West Northamptonshire Council screen.
Fibreoptic cabling
West Northamptonshire Council contracted with Gigaclear, to install fibreoptic cabling throughout the village. Reports on Gigaclear's customer service have not been favourable but it's personal choice.
Contact details for Gigaclear:
Website: www.gigaclear.com
Email: networkbuildcare@gigaclear.com Phone: 01865 591137
The inconsiderate siting of the green termination box on the corner of the play area, at the junction of The Stocks with Stratford Road without the required authorisation, has compelled the Parish Council to demand that it is relocated to an acceptable location. With a lot of work completed to make the area a pleasant place for sitting by our village volunteers, the green box must be sited in a less obtrusive location.