A plea has been made to The Comet to help launch an appeal to revive a plan to build a multi-million pound bypass that has been dumped by the Government. Last week Bedfordshire County Council s executive committee reacted angrily to the proposed changes

A plea has been made to The Comet to help launch an appeal to revive a plan to build a multi-million pound bypass that has been dumped by the Government.

Last week Bedfordshire County Council's executive committee reacted angrily to the proposed changes to the East of England Plan, announced by the Secretary of State, which seem to have put the final nail in the coffin of plans for a Sandy-Beeston bypass.

For half a century there has been talk of a bypass between Sandy and Beeston to give residents relief from the constant headache of heavy traffic using the nearby A1.

The plan, devised by the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA), omitted the bypass but the county council said last week it was requesting its reinstatement saying it was required to assist delivery of the housing and economic growth of Bedfordshire.

But one councillor, talking exclusively to The Comet, said the bypass would change lives in both communities and added: "Bedfordshire is growing fast and we need our major roads to be able to cope with the ever-increasing weight of traffic both in and through our county.

"Responsibility for the bypass lies with the Highways Agency and what we can do with the help of The Comet is to continue to remind everyone just how important it is.

"We need this bypass which is why we have requested it should be reinstated."

Cllr John Scott added: "Naturally we were very disappointed that the Sandy-Beeston bypass wasn't included because not only would it make life much easier for people who live in the immediate area, but it is also part of the county's infrastructure.

"The East of England Plan is produced by Government and the Sandy-Beeston bypass was unfortunately omitted from the Government's December 2006 changes to the East of England Plan."

The council executive committee report said: "There needs to be clarity on the justification of this priority area, the identification of which could be helpful for bringing forward local improvements such as the A1 Sandy-Beeston bypass."

Trevor Stewart, clerk to Sandy Town Council, said: "A bypass would mean a better standard of life for the people of Sandy and Beeston away from the traffic of the A1.

"A bypass would benefit both communities and change everyone's life. I hope there is a campaign to get the bypass reinstated and I hope people listen to The Comet.

"The Highways Agency deleted the bypass from their priority list long ago but we need it to give people who live in the area a better quality of life."

* Do the residents of Sandy and Beeston want a bypass? Tell us at by writing to The Comet, Bank House, Primett Road, Stevenage, Herts, SG1 3EE with your letter marked BYPASS or email us at editorial@the comet.net