GARTREE Division of Leicestershire County Council

Billesdon Ward - District Councillor: Steven Charlish

Published on the Internet by Dr Kevin Feltham, Carlton House, Kibworth Harcourt, Leicestershire. LE8 0PE  (updated October, 2012 )

Southern part of Billesdon Ward comprising 5 parishes of: Stonton Wyville, Glooston, Cranoe, Slawston & Welham currently in Harborough
Constituency together with the Northern part of Billesdon Ward comprising 8 parishes of: Billesdon, Frisby, Rolleston, Gaulby, King's Norton, Illston-on-the-Hill, Noseley & Gaulby which are in the Rutland & Melton Constituency

1. Election Results 2011  
2. Noisy aircraft flying at night over east Leicestershire    & the ELVAA campaign  & the DEMAND website  
3. Billesdon Ward News
4. Gaulby Road Traffic Calming implemented  
5. Mobile Library Timetable 
6. Link to Billesdon Parish Council website    

Election 2011 Results for Billesdon Ward  - Harborough District (5th May 2011)

Back to Top

Billesdon Ward News

A47 bypass  (March 2007)

New speed cameras have now been installed on the Billesdon by-pass on the A47 near to the B6047 junction.  The County Council Highways and Transportation Department are reviewing the situation and designs for possible improvements along the A47 bypass are being drawn up in response to the recommendations made by the Coroner following a fatal accident. The improvements will consist of central bollard islands with guardian angels positioned either side of the junction to protect the turning lanes. Similar bollards with guardian angels have been fitted along the A6 in Kibworth Harcourt and have been very effective at limiting speed and preventing unsafe overtaking. The responses from the earlier consultation have been favourable and approval have been given to the scheme. It is planned that the scheme were implemented in Autumn, 2005.  LATEST NEWS: Harborough Highways Forum (March 2007) Matthew Lugg (Director Highways, Transportation & Waste, LCC) stated there had been 3 serious accidents reported on the A47 Billesdon by-pass in previous three years compared to 17 in the previous three years.

Back to Top

Traffic Calming on Gaulby Road  (March 2007)

The primary school signed off their Travel Plan in March 2005.  Some of the key issues revolved around speed and weight of traffic outside the school on Gaulby Road and the establishment of a "Walking Bus". LCC Traffic Management have assessed the potential for a 20 mph zone outside school and, following consultation with Billesdon Parish Council, it was constructed in February/March 2007.

Back to Top

Flooding down Church Street (March 2007)

There is a watercourse that crosses Church Street that takes an element of road water and there is a further brick culvert in the Market Place area.  There is a surface water sewer in Church Street to which road gullies are connected. There is also a foul water sewer in the road.

LCC have been aware of the flooding and have, over the past two financial years, carried out works to raise kerbs, redirect gully connections and provide additional gullies.

There are two outstanding problems:-

1  All drainage systems are required to be designed to an approved capacity. This is usually a 1 in 50 years storm event. The problem is that a significant number of storms are now in excess of this and as a result flooding occurs. There were three events in Market Harborough last year over a three week period. All three storms exceeded  a 1 in 250 years event intensity and all three caused flooding. There is nothing that can be done in Billesdon that will remove the chances of flooding 100%. If the intensity is over the design capacity, flooding will occur . There may be limited works that can be done to the sewer.

2  The ownership / responsibility for the surface water system in the road is difficult. The LCC position is that it is a public surface water sewer and therefore the responsibility of Severn Trent. Works have been carried out by HDC as agents for Severn Trent many years ago and LCC have agreed to write to Severn Trent to clarify their position. They do not have this sewer included on their records and therefore it is likely that they will deny any responsibility. 

In the event of Severn Trent agreeing to some responsibility, both LCC and HDC have agreed to make a contribution to the cost of any works that could improve the situation.

Back to Top

7.5 tonne weight restrictions around Billesdon

There is a 7.5 tonne weight restriction in Billesdon, which includes the old Leicester Road & Uppingham Road, Market Road , Church Street and Brook Lane.  LCC are in the process of erecting additional direction signs on the A47 to indicate this.

Most of the Gartree area is subject to a blanket weight restriction to prevent lorries travelling through the villages between the A6 and A47.

The exception to this is Rolleston Road from the B6047 to its junction with Gaulby Road, Billesdon, and Gaulby Road to just beyond the Highways Depot.

Back to Top

Flight paths and night flights over GARTREE area  (February, 2007)

• How to make your complaints about intrusive noise to East Midlands Airport
• See latest news on DEMAND website

The East Leicestershire Villages Against Airspace (ELVAA) meeting in the Billesdon Coplow Centre in January 2004 galvanised the public in east Leicestershire to respond to the proposals by (Nottingham) East Midlands Airport (EMA) who had applied to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for permission to implement new flight paths directly over some of the quietest parts of the County.  One of the prime reasons for this, as given to me personally in a letter dated 30th April from Neil Robinson, the Divisional Manager (Environment) for EMA, is "the number of people overflown by the proposed Daventry 2 routine is 75% fewer than the current departure route." !!!

The Leicestershire County Council was not consulted initially, and after I brought the matter to their attention, they complained to the CAA, and NEMA added more consultation time before the a re-consultation on the proposals was started. This period ended on 21st June.

In order to help provide independent facts and figures, the Leicestershire County Council and Harborough District Council jointly commissioned an independent report on the likely effects of the proposals for a new departure route (Daventry 2) over east Leicestershire (e.g. Tilton, East Norton and Horninghold) and a holding area centred on Saddington (Pigot). This includes likely heights of aircraft and the expected noise levels and can be viewed here.  The ELVAA website contains plans of flight paths etc. as well as minutes of meetings and further background information.  Please visit it for the latest information.

Recently it has become clarified, that the proposals are not just for departing flights, but will also incorporate incoming flights which will come in over east Leicester City as well as areas of the County esp. Gartree and Launde Divisions.

A second public meeting held on 27 May in the Billesdon Coplow Centre saw calls for further protests in advance of the end of the CAA consultation in June 2004.  A demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament on 8 June to coincide with a debate of the Government plans for the Future of Aviation Transport saw a crowd of protesters from villages in east and south Leicestershire led by Steve Charlish, Chairman of ELVAA, meet with local MPs: Edward Garnier and Alan Duncan and two County Councillors: Dr Kevin Feltham and Peter Boult. The County Council Cabinet on 1 June also reiterated opposition to the plans and agreed to seek statutory controls over night flying to and from the airport.

Further information has been made available regarding the flight paths, and the County Council Cabinet has discussed the stance of EMA on a number of occasions leading up to a meeting with EMA and other interested council representatives at County Hall on 29th July.  EMA reiterated their commitment to do all they could to ameliorate people's concerns and the Leader of the Council has given them 3 months to demonstrate their willingness practically.

In late August 2004, EMA made an unexpected request of the Civil Aviation Authority to defer starting to use the flight paths until a thorough consultation had been completed. This was in part due to their realisation that along with Leicestershire County Council and other bodies, Oadby & Wigston Borough Council had not been consulted and the arrivals flight path would pass over some of the Borough.

The Leicestershire County Council Cabinet reiterated on 7th September their determination to press on with moves to curtail night flying at the airport.  In addition, new proposals for Coventry Airport are giving rise to concerns that additional flight paths might pass over south west Leicestershire.

November 2004

NEMA issued their new consultation document (18th October) with a 12 week period for people to respond with comments either in support or against the proposals.  The document can be downloaded from the NEMA website: http://www.emapress.com/site/news/181004/  and the response form and address for sending it are both included in the main overview document.  The consultation ended on 10th January 2005  

December 2004

• 13th December - DEMAND website launched outside House of Commons - an umbrella protest group opposing NEMA night flights - sign their online petition

• 14th December - Leicestershire County Council Cabinet approve response to NEMA consultation - see Cabinet agenda with report and map available for downloading.

Latest County Council News (2005)

8th March - Leicestershire County Council Cabinet agree to start case for designation of NEMA 16th March - Trip to House of Commons by Leader of County Council, C Cllr David Parsons, C Cllr Dr Kevin Feltham, Steve Charlish, and C Cllr Galton to obtain 9 MP (Edward Garnier, David Taylor, Ken Clarke, Parmjit Gill, Nick Palmer, Stephen Dorrell, Keith Vaz, Alan Duncan, Andy Reed) signatures on giant DEMAND postcard (see near photo ====>) 5th April - Visit to London delivering petition and giant DEMAND postcard to No. 10 Downing Street  (see far photo ====>) 9th May - Leicestershire County Council launch online survey;  Alan Duncan (MP for Rutland & Melton Constituency) appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Transport 12th May - New flight paths east of Leicester begin 7th June - Meeting of Joint NEMA Working Party led by Leicestershire County Council 7th October - Meeting of Joint NEMA Working Party led by Leicestershire County Council - draft designation document circulated, and NEMA outlined widespread consultation on their Master Plan which will take place from November 2005.

MPs signing the postcard Photo by Kevin Feltham

MPs take postcard to No 10 Photo by Kevin Feltham

Open Public Meeting - Kibworth Grammar School Hall - 7.30pm 23rd September 2005

The DEMAND Campaign group invited Aviation Minister Karen Buck MP to attend the packed DEMAND organized public meeting, held in Kibworth Grammar School Hall on the 23^rd September 2005 at 7.30pm in Kibworth Beauchamp, in order to listen to the residents concerns and complaints about the imposition of aircraft noise from Nottingham East Midlands Airport, but she declined.

 

Principal speaker to the approx. 160 people was Edward Garnier QC MP and Shadow Home Office Minister. In addition, John Stewart, Chairman of AirportWatch & HACAN (Heathrow Airport Campaign) was the second guest speaker. Dr Kevin Feltham read a statement of support from Alan Duncan MP, Shadow Transport Secretary, who was unable to be present.

 

John Stewart has had more than 20 years experience as a transport campaigner.  Currently he chairs AirportWatch, the national body consisting of environmental organisations and local protest groups concerned about unconstrained airport expansion.  He also is the high-profile Chairman of HACAN, which represents residents under the Heathrow flight path.  HACAN has been active for some years in campaigning against night flights.  Last year John Stewart was elected as Vice-President of UECNA, the Europe-body that represents residents around European airports.  He is the author of a new study on night flights, which UECNA launched in the European Parliament on 20^th September .

 

Steve Charlish, Chairman of the DEMAND Campaign Group, said "This meeting was a perfect opportunity for residents who are affected by aircraft noise from Nottingham East Midlands Airport  to voice their opinions or concerns and  find out how to 'fight this aircraft noise blight and make a difference to this community campaign' from some of the most experienced aviation campaigners in the UK".  BBC TV (East Midlands) televised much of the proceedings and this will feature in the Inside Out TV programme on BBC1 at 7.30pm on Monday 10th October 2005.

 

How to make your complaints about intrusive noise to East Midlands Airport

Should you be disturbed by aircraft noise and would like to contact a member of EMA's environment team, please phone this lo-call number:

0845 108 8540

Alternatively, you can contact EMA by email: environment@nottinghamema.com , or write a letter to:

Divisional Manager-Environment,
Building 34,
East Midlands Airport,
Castle Donington,
Derby,
DE74 2SA

EMA states on their website that it "appreciates the concerns of local communities with regard to noise, particularly at night, and works hard to balance their needs against its wider responsibilities as an employer and economic catalyst for the region."

If you have any comments you would like to bring to my attention on this issue then please contact me through the on-line surgery or via e-mail.

Back to Top