Inspiration - we live in thriving communities

There are a number of places within the UK and beyond that have developed positive identity with residents proud to say they are from there.

Here are just some of the places and ideas that might help us define approaches that are will make Central Bedfordshire renowned for doing things better.

Mini Holland in Waltham Forest

The London Borough of Waltham Forest has been implementing a ‘Mini Holland’ cycling programme to deliver a step change in the borough’s cycling infrastructure; that aims to make cycling a more enjoyable and safe way of getting around. This has meant improving routes and connections between centres as well as re-thinking how streets are orientated to put pedestrians and cyclists first. Research shows that, since the scheme was implemented, more people in Waltham Forest are cycling; with the scheme’s aim to get 100% of the population making 1 in 10 journeys by bicycle.

Derbyshire Visitor Economy

Derbyshire County Council is working with Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire and partner authorities to develop the county’s visitor economy by boosting the capacity, quality and identity of individual towns as part of wider destination management and place branding. Inspired by the Peak District is a location-based branding initiative that seeks to raise the profile of locally produced products and services and promote the area as a great place to do business.

Roof tax to invest in infrastructure: Milton Keynes Partnership

In the mid 2000s, the Milton Keynes Partnership Committee established a ‘roof tax’ on new homes to pay for supporting infrastructure. The levy took the form of a roof tax of £18,500 for each house completed, and £66 per sq ft of commercial real estate. The scheme provided an assured, stable revenue stream for developing local infrastructure; reducing the need for complex S106 negotiations; and attracting further investment by limiting delays and fostering confidence that the infrastructure would be delivered.

Robot Delivery Services, Milton Keynes

The world’s first robot delivery service has successfully launched in Milton Keynes. Parcels, groceries and food are directly delivered from warehouses by small, self-driving robots; while order requests are controlled by the user from a convenient mobile app. The scheme, which runs out of the Co-op’s Monkston warehouse, has made over 50,000 deliveries since its inception, and new partnerships with food delivery companies including JustEat are planned. As well as being highly convenient, the robots run on electricity and are clean and energy efficient; helping to reduce air pollution and take traffic off the roads.

Overcoming connection barriers - Go Sutton

GoSutton is a TfL funded on-demand bus that lets customers request a ride, select their pick- p and drop-off points, and pay directly through their mobile phone. The service operates by matching multiple passengers heading in the same direction and booking them onto a shared bus. The price of the ride averages at around £2-3 for a single rider. Creators of the scheme have sought to make it as inclusive as possible, by making all vehicles wheelchair accessible; while pensioners and those with an English National Concessional Travel Scheme Pass are able to use the service for free.

North of Tyne Combined Authority Branding

In the North East of England, Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland councils have secured a devolution deal to create UK’s newest Combined Authority; promoting cross-boundary solutions to deliver improved outcomes for the region’s 880,000 residents. To help the new Authority convey its message, a new brand was established, centering on a North of Tyne logotype which references the wider region, raises profile and encourages inward investment. The authority’s tagline – Home of Ambition – is emotive and demonstrates the Combined Authority’s vision for the region.