Ready for another year, this time in the central lane?
Alex Sydney, Me, Martin Usher and Ian at Wrest Park
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The Flitwick Manor Park
Latest news
25th March 2010
The Chairman of the Access Group at the request of Flitwick Town Council met with Lorna Walker Greensand Trust, Hannah Firth and Martin Oake, Archaeologists, CBC, Martin Usher, Access Officer CBC and the Town Clerk to decide the route for the new access path. It was decided it will be constructed close to the boundary fence of the "buffer zone" to the right of the kissing gate.
It will run East to West for approx. 150 yards.
Thanks go to Lorna for all her hard work regarding issues at the Manor land
THE ACCESS PATH
Update
29th September 2010
The path is shown below; the photo (bottom right hand) was taken from the entrance gate the one shown on the left was taken from the edge of the "observation area" looking toward the entrance gate. The perching seats have been improved and placed in the correct bays.
Please be advised that the barbed wire has now been removed from the fence behind the seating on the right as you enter the Manor land.
This area is now safer especially for the visually impaired and young children. Please be aware that when this path is wet it has a tendency to be slippery especially if rubber shoes are being worn. It is hoped that as the path is used more then this problem will disappear.
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15th February 2010
The ramp and steps have now been removed and an alternative entrance to the carriage way has been put in place. It is also hoped that a firm access path from the entrance gate to an observation platform/area which was suggested as far back as 2006, will be constructed this year.
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18th September 2009
A representative of the Access Group at the request from Flitwick Town Council met with Cllr Quantrill the Town Clerk and Lorna Walker of the Greensand Trust to discuss a way forward regarding the “steps and ramp” and the “bridge of sighs” situated on the Manor Park. It was agreed that the steps be removed and the ramp redesigned. The bridge will be cleared of soil and markers put at the four corners so as to define the structure. The path leading to and from the bridge will also be levelled. The trees that have needed to be felled will be used as perching benches along the pathways. Those present agreed this as the start of a lengthy program of improvements to the Manor Park.
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A walk for the able bodied? A nightmare for the disabled and should be avoided at all cost!
It has been noted that the Town Council has put in place a notice that visitors should be wary of the lack of definition between the LAKE and the PATH. The notice is an A4 size and totally useless especially for the visually impaired and those with learning difficulties
The distance from the entrance (kissing gate) across the Park to the steps and ramp is 400 metres. The distance from the steps/ramp around the circular path, the old carriage way, is approximately 650 metres and the return along the Dunstable Road to the car park is 150 metres making a total of 1.2 Kilometres. Those who are disabled would have to park in the car park and walk to the Flit-Vale bends entrance, a distance of 150 metres. They would then walk the circular route which contains many hazards, to the steps /ramp but due to the lack of access to the Park because of the steps and ramp, would have to retrace the route back to the car park. This would mean the distance covered is 1.6 Kilometres. The ramp is too steep for wheelchair users and the steps leave a lot to be desired for all visually impaired and parents with young children in buggies visiting the park. There are not, at the present time, any benches for resting on the open land or along the circular route. There is a bench sited on the path close to the car park. This Park should not be labelled “An Accessible Venue” as it falls short of the criteria. There are Health and Safety issues regarding the work that has been completed and that which is “ongoing” in this area. H&S is not included in the DDA but it certainly should be a priority of the Town Council. They have a ‘Duty of Care’, the same as any other service provider regarding the safety of visitors to any venues they own or maintain. I suggest the Town Clerk along with the H&S Officer of the Council take a long hard look at the responsibilities of their Office. The only thing achieved in the construction of this ramp is to divert the eye away from the safety issues still to be resolved regarding the steps. The close proximity of a Helipad located in the grounds of Flitwick Manor 40 metres from the steps and 16 metres from the boundary of the Park should be signed to make visitors aware of the hazard. This should apply to visitors travelling from and to the location. This venue is not suitable for the disabled, of the 256,520 square yards that make up the entire country park only 120 square yards are accessible to the disabled visitor, the car park and the path to the “kissing gate”. There are also concerns regarding the “water features”.This is due to the council failing in their duty regarding lakes, gullies and sluices which is on land they own / manage the land
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Helicopter flying over the Manor Park about to land at the Flitwick Manor 
The hazards below include undefined borders between field and lake, rough paths embedded with masonry and a bridge over
troubled water
Photos taken in September 2008
The uneven access at the Flitvale Bends Masonary embedded inthe path
The unguarded edge of the "Bridge of Sighs" The Dam
As above Mature tress growing in the brickwork of the Dam
Undefined sluices running from the Dam This shows how the sluices should be
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On a Lighter side, to prove that the disabled do have a sense of humour.
Ok how I am expected to get to the other side
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