Highways Agency

• M1 Jct 10 to 13 Widening

NOTE: The section below on Environmental Effects refers to the widening of the M1 Junctions 10-13 to four lanes in each direction. As of April 2008 the HA are considering whether hard shoulder running could provide a better value solution, at least for parts of the scheme.

Cultural Heritage
Ecology and Nature Conservation
Landscape and Visual Effects
Geology and Soils
Land Use and Agriculture
Road Drainage and the Water Environment
Noise and Vibration
Air Quality
Pedestrians, Cyclists, Horse Riders and Community Effects
Vehicle Travellers
Planning and Policies

The proposals are likely to cause a number of environmental effects. An Environmental Constraints Plan showing the most significant constraints along the Scheme is presented in the centre of this brochure. The plan identifies significant environmental features in the area which have been taken into account in the environmental impact assessment and the development of the Scheme design. The design aims to avoid adversely affecting the local environment as far as is practicable. Measures have also been included in the Scheme design where possible to improve the local environment. The following sections summarise the environmental impacts, both positive and negative, and indicate proposals to manage and improve them where possible.

Cultural Heritage

The Scheme would have an impact on historic buildings and structures, archaeology and the historic landscape (collectively referred to as Cultural Heritage).

The greatest effect would be on the existing motorway structures including bridges, built in the 1950’s, which are considered to be of historical architectural value. These would be demolished in order to accommodate the proposed widening. A photographic record would be made of all existing motorway structures to be demolished.

The position of the new carriageway is largely fixed by the position of the existing motorway but where possible opportunities have been taken to avoid known archaeological sites. Nevertheless twenty-five archaeological sites identified along the proposed Scheme would be affected. This impact would be reduced by a detailed programme of archaeological excavation works carried out in advance of the main construction works and during construction. This would identify and record archaeological features of interest.

The Scheme would also affect the setting of the listed buildings High Thatch, Mill Farm and Redhills Farm. Adverse effects on historic buildings and other features would be reduced where possible by landscaping. This would mainly involve tree and hedgerow planting to reduce the visual impact of new structures.

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Ecology and Nature Conservation

No statutory designated sites of nature conservation value would be affected by the Scheme. However some landtake would be required from the following seven County Wildlife Sites:

• Luton-Dunstable Railway;
• Blows Down;
• Rod Wood and Steppingley Close;
• The Linces;
• The River Flit;
• The River Lea and tributaries; and
• Kingshoe Wood.

The Scheme would also directly affect other non-designated wooded areas within the existing land take and land immediately bordering it. New woodland areas would be planted at appropriate locations along the new corridor.

The majority of grassland affected by the Scheme is of low nature conservation value. Nevertheless, loss of these species poor grassland habitats will be compensated by the creation of species rich grasslands which will enhance the overall biodiversity of the Scheme corridor.

The Scheme would require the removal of some hedgerows. Some other hedgerows would be moved to maintain existing habitat connections for mammals such as bat and badger. Extensive new hedgerows would also be planted. Areas of scrub and shrub would also be planted to provide additional habitats.
A small number of badger setts would need to be replaced during the construction works. In addition fencing would be provided at key locations to prevent badgers crossing the motorway and nearby roads.

A number of probable/potential bat roosts, in trees, buildings and structures, would be lost. Planting of trees, erection of bat boxes in suitable locations and incorporation of bat-friendly features into bridges would provide new bat roosting areas around the Scheme.

A single, medium sized population of great crested newts will be directly affected by the Scheme at Junction 13. Measures have been incorporated into the Scheme design to allow for their relocation to a new larger plot of land in order to safeguard the population for the future. Specific measures include the creation of new ponds and improvement of habitats to compensate for the adverse effects.

The area around the Scheme supports a range of breeding and wintering birds. To minimise the impact on birds, vegetation clearance would be avoided during the breeding season. Any loss of habitat would be compensated by planting of native hedgerows, trees, scrub and woodland throughout the length of the Scheme.

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Landscape and Visual Effects

The Scheme would follow the existing M1 motorway, which passes through open land by Junction 10 on the outskirts of Luton, through the urban landscape of Luton and through the gently rolling agricultural landscape towards Junction 13. The existing M1 crosses three landscape character areas:

• the chalk escarpment of the Chilterns;
• the gently undulating arable landscape of the Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Claylands; and
• the narrow escarpment of the Bedfordshire Greensand Ridge, characterised by deciduous and coniferous woods, Heath and pasture.

The urban landscape of Luton contrasts markedly with the more rural landscapes to the north. Here the motorway runs in close proximity to residential housing, schools, commercial property, playing fields and community open space.

The Scheme would affect both the rural and urban landscape character and views of that landscape. This would be due to the loss of vegetation, the increased size of the motorway and the larger structures associated with the widened motorway. Therefore the Scheme design has been carefully developed to incorporate measures to minimise, where possible, landscape and visual impacts on both people and properties.

Wherever possible existing vegetation would be retained. However new planting would compensate for lost vegetation and provide additional visual screening.

Where appropriate, earthworks have been designed to provide screening for residential properties. In addition, although the whole of the Scheme would be lit, highway lighting would be designed to minimise visual light intrusion beyond the motorway into the landscape.

The Scheme would have unavoidable visual impacts during construction, mainly due to necessary vegetation removal. Once new planting has become established, the effect on the landscape would be greatly reduced, though some visual impacts would remain.

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Geology and Soils

The geology of the area is characterised by Chalk around the Luton area with Gault Clay, Woburn Sands and Oxford Clay further north. Whilst there are no Regionally Important Geological Sites near to the Scheme, The Linces, which is considered to be of local geological interest, would be directly affected by the Scheme. Loss of land from this area would be kept to a minimum.

Some possible sources of ground contamination have been identified along the Scheme, however these are unlikely to have any significant effects upon the environment.

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Land Use and Agriculture

The Scheme would result in the permanent loss of about 62 hectares of agricultural land, of which about 51 hectares is defined as being best and most versatile land for agricultural purposes. About 58 hectares of agricultural land occupied during construction would be restored to its original condition, or better.

Sixteen land holdings would be affected by the Scheme. In addition the Scheme would involve the demolition of thirty-seven residential properties and two commercial properties (one of which also has two residential flats above it), together with a number of private garages and outbuildings. Some garden space would also be lost. The residential properties to be demolished are located on Bradley Road, Halfway Avenue, Armitage Gardens, Raleigh Grove, Long field Drive, Belper Road, Dunstable Road, Wyndham Road and Lime Avenue. Loss of some Common Land at The Linces would be offset by the provision of new replacement common land nearby.

In addition, there would be some temporary and permanent loss of land used by the public. All such loss would only partially affect these public open spaces, allowing continued use by the public of unaffected areas. Land lost temporarily to construction works would be returned to its original condition for public use. Public open space permanently lost to the Scheme would be compensated by the provision of exchange land as appropriate. There would also be temporary loss of land from areas committed to new housing and to the rear of Bank Close together with land proposed for Raven hill Community Centre and Gardens.

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Road Drainage and the Water Environment

The southernmost 12 km and northernmost 6 km of the Scheme are underlain by water bearing rocks, which hold large quantities of groundwater suitable for abstraction for public water supply and agricultural and industrial uses. Currently there are twelve licensed groundwater abstractions along the Scheme, of which one is used for public water supply in the Luton area. There are no surface water abstractions along the Scheme.

The Scheme passes through the catchments areas of the Upper Lea, River Flit, Broughton Brook and several small watercourses. The source of the River Flit rises in a spring-fed pond to the east of Charlton. The River Flit and its tributaries cross under the motorway a number of times as it meanders northwards. The River Flit and its tributaries are designated a County Wildlife Site.

There would be a small amount of land-take from the floodplains of a tributary of the River Flit, near Kingshoe Wood, and Broughton Brook, near Junction 13. To avoid increasing the risk of flooding, areas of land have been identified that would be lowered and re-landscaped to provide additional areas for the storage of flood waters.

The Scheme would require the extension or replacement of twenty-one existing watercourse culverts and construction of three new culverts. Investigations have shown that this would not increase upstream flood risk except at Kingshoe Wood culvert. Here, flood relief pipes would be installed through the new Town Mead bridge embankment to negate this increase in risk.

Except for a soak away near Farley Road underbridge, there is at present no provision for the storage or treatment of runoff water from the motorway. The Scheme would provide new ponds designed to collect road run-off. This would also enable pollutants from the road drainage to be removed and would reduce the risk of spillages on roads from entering watercourses.

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Noise and Vibration

During construction, the application of considerate work practices and use, as appropriate, of temporary noise barriers should bring construction noise levels generally to below relevant guidance levels.

Vibration from scheme construction is unlikely to cause building damage, even of a cosmetic nature, to adjacent properties. Vibration complaints from local residents are unlikely for the majority of the works. However, there may be short-term heightened vibration levels at some properties during piling and construction work at the closest approach. Liaison with local residents to forewarn them and alleviate concerns will be carried out as a matter of routine.

New noise fences would be provided at appropriate locations to mitigate for road traffic noise. When the Scheme opens, it is estimated that there would be a short-term increase in the number of people annoyed by traffic noise. In the long-term, it is estimated that with the Scheme, there would be a negligible increase in the number of people annoyed by traffic noise over those affected if the Scheme did not go ahead.

In the long-term, it is estimated that there would be a negligible decrease in the number of people annoyed by traffic vibration over those affected if the Scheme did not go ahead.

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Air Quality

The Scheme would potentially affect air pollution levels for local residents due both to changes in the amount of traffic exhaust emissions and the fact that the Scheme would bring the motorway and slip roads closer to some properties. The demolition and construction works associated with the Scheme also have the potential to generate emissions of dust particles into the air.

Some locations within the vicinity of the current M1 have previously been identified by the relevant Local Authorities as being sensitive to air quality impacts and the Local Authorities have consequently declared these areas as Air Quality Management Areas.

During construction, the application of considerate work and environmental management practices should result in any occasional impacts that occur not having any significant effects.

In order to minimise air quality impacts of the Scheme, a 50mph speed limit would be applied on the motorway at appropriate times during the week. The Scheme would result in a negligible overall increase in emissions of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter from the M1 and affected surrounding roads, meaning that the change in local community exposure to air pollution would be negligible. At individual properties within the Air Quality Management Areas the effect of the Scheme would at worst be neutral and, for a number of properties, would result in an improvement in air quality.

Total emissions of carbon dioxide from traffic using the M1 and nearby affected roads are predicted to increase from 2005 to 2011, with or without the Scheme, due to forecast increases in traffic flows. At 2011, it is predicted that the Scheme would lead to a very small increase in carbon dioxide emissions compared to if the Scheme did not go ahead.

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Pedestrians, Cyclists, Horse Riders and Community Effects

Eighteen official routes used by pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders cross the Scheme. These include public rights of way, public byways, and established long-distance routes.

In addition, there are a further fifteen unofficial crossings for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.

There are other important crossings such as those to schools, shops and the Luton and Dunstable Hospital.

These are located:

• in Luton around Junction 11;
• between Toddington and Harlington;
• adjacent to the Tingrith recreational fishing lakes; and
• between Ridgmont, Husborne Crawley and Ridgmont Train Station

Other crossings in rural areas form key components of the wider recreational network within the area.

The Scheme would preserve all existing routes with replacement crossings of the motorway provided where necessary. However, Round Wood Subway and Challney School Subway would be permanently closed to public access.

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Vehicle Travellers

Existing roadside vegetation, noise fencing and cuttings generally restrict travellers’ views along the majority of this section of the M1. The Scheme would include new planting which would to a large degree compensate for potentially adverse effects on views of the wider landscape resulting from:

• increased heights of lighting columns, which would be repositioned on the side verges;
• the introduction of new sign gantries over the carriageways; and
• the increase in carriageway area.

Consequently, while there would be a significant impact on traveller’s immediate views during construction works, once the landscaping and planting have become established the difference would be small.

The Scheme would improve the capacity of the road which, together with the new signing, would increase road safety and reduce driver stress.

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Planning and Policies

The Scheme reflects recommendations made within the Government’s long-term strategy to meet passenger and freight transport needs in the area. The Scheme is included in the Bedfordshire Local Transport Plan 2006/7 – 2010/11 and in the Luton Local Plan 2001-2011, which aims to safeguard land for the M1 improvements. The Scheme would support planning policies in the Bedfordshire Structure Plan (2011), the Luton Local Plan (2001-2011) and the Mid-Bedfordshire Local Plan (2005) that relate to economic development and improvements in accessibility.

The Scheme would conflict with policies relating to conservation of Green Belt land, the conservation of the best agricultural land and the protection of historic buildings and the landscape. However these impacts are largely unavoidable due to the alignment of the existing motorway.

The Scheme has been designed to minimise land-take, ensuring that standards of safety are met and to avoid and, wherever practicable, reduce environmental impacts in accordance with national, regional and local policy.

The Scheme seeks to maximise benefits according to the five appraisal criteria that the Government introduced in "A New Deal for Transport : Better for Everyone" (July 1998), which are:

• environment
• safety
• economy
• accessibility
• integration

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