The magazine for residents and friends of Langford Village ISSUE 69 SUMMER 2015 FREE LangfordThe Voice of the Village LifePublished by the Langford Village Community Association Lakeside Drive London Road crossing Make it a double: Matt & Kieran Councillor Melanie Magee leads the Save Gavray Meadows battle to save Jubilee Lake from neglect Photography competition SPECIAL RELAUNCH ISSUE Langford Life Summer 2015 www.langfordlife.org.uk 2 Editor’s letter Editor’s letter Welcome to the new-look Langford Life magazine. It’s been almost a year since the last issue, during which time we’ve Contents assembled an expanded team of volunteers (myself included) to put the publication together. One member of the new Local update team, Rich Ponsford, is a professional graphic designer, • 3 London Road crossing which has given us the ability to switch to this new, bigger, • 3 Identity crisis: Town or Village? full-colour layout. We hope you like it. The most important thing, as always, is that this is • 4 Cubbing in London Steve Clack Editor your magazine. We’ll naturally work to update you on the 5 Happy’s Circus rolls up! • important issues that affect you as Bicester residents, such as • 5 Bicester’s Big Lunch 2015 the massive expansion planned for the coming years, but we’re • 6 How does your Garden City grow? primarily looking for contributions from the community on • 7 Cover story: Jubilee Lake repairs what’s going on in and around Langford itself. So, whether • 7 Community garden ideas you’ve discovered a great local walk or bike ride, or have • 11 Save Gavray Wildlife Meadows found a useful local resource or amenity you’d like everyone to know about, just drop me an email and I’ll be sure to consider it for the next issue. Interview We’re also looking for a budding artist to create a cartoon • 8 Landlords of the Manor: Kieran strip for each issue, and we’re also keen to hear from any and Matt talk about their first year as Langford residents who would be willing to contribute regular landlords of the Nightingale articles. If you think you’ve got a little talent for writing and would like to join our small team for regular get-togethers and brainstorming sessions, please get in touch. On the beat We’re very aware that Langford Life has never had what • 12 Community Policing update you’d call a strict production schedule—after all, every one of with PC James Elton the contributors works purely voluntarily—but we’re planning to publish another issue later this year, then hopefully three Feathered friends issues per year from 2016 onwards. The number of issues per year is really governed by the amount of content and ideas we • 13 Expert ornithologist John Holt receive from residents though, so it’s very much down to you. tells us about the peregrine falcon Finally, if you like the photo on the cover of this issue and think you’re a dab hand with a camera, flick to page 14, where Competition you’ll find out how you can get your own handiwork on the next front cover. • 14 A bit handy with a camera? Any feedback is gratefully received, so please be sure Your photo could be on the cover to email me with your comments and suggestions on this of the next issue issue—I’ll look forward to hearing from you! Fun stuff • 15 Take time out with a wordsearch or a bit of sudoku. And is that … Bono? EDITORIAL Editor Steve Clack ([email protected]) Design Rich Ponsford ([email protected]) Useful information Advertising Mike Oke ([email protected]) Distribution Bob Rudge ([email protected]) 16 A schedule of regular events at • LVCA COMMITTEE the community hall Co-Chairmen Dom Cotter/Nick Cotter ([email protected]) • 17 Local directory of useful phone Vice Chairman Ted Kingston ([email protected]) Caroline Cadbury ([email protected]) numbers Treasurer Secretary Mike Oke ([email protected]) Health and safety Matt Phillips ([email protected]) Website Bob Rudge/Jon Spinage ([email protected]) Hall bookings Jayne Rossiter-Gill ([email protected]) COVER PHOTO: BOB RUDGE CPRE John Broad ([email protected]) @LangfordLife www.facebook.com/langfordlife Langford Life Summer 2015 Local update 3 When a town becomes a village Most Langford residents will be aware of the plans to rename Bicester Town station, but where’s it all going? It’s been a few months since Chiltern Railways announced its intention to rename Bicester Town station to ‘Bicester Village’—but plenty of residents are angry at the decision. The station, owned by Network Rail and run by Chiltern Railways, has been called Bicester Town since the Worries for London Road line reopened in 1987 after a 19-year closure, and most locals seem keen to keep it that way. railway crossing It’s currently unclear whether Chiltern Railways has received the When the East West Rail link to Milton Keynes is opened in 2019, necessary approval from the Office the level crossing on London Road may eventually be closed for of the Rail Regulator (ORR) to carry up to 40 minutes per hour. John Broad reports. out the proposed name change. As the sole operator of the line, he forthcoming East West Rail Asked by Langford Life to provide an Chiltern Railways is required to agree link will bring easy access to update on the crossing in early May, the T the change with Network Rail and Winslow, Bletchley, Milton Leader of Cherwell District Council, Cllr ‘gather relevant stakeholder support’. Keynes and Bedford. Subject to Barry Wood, told us “Both the District From our understanding, the only funding, it will eventually be extended and County are really clear that the only stakeholder that has given such to Cambridge. Unfortunately, this thing we cannot do is nothing. County support is Bicester Village itself. expansion will result in the gates at highways officers, along with Network If you’d rather keep our station Bicester’s London Road level crossing Rail officials through the East West Rail as Bicester Town, please show your eventually being closed to road traffic Partnership, are undertaking engineering support by writing to Victoria Prentis, for up to 40 minutes in every hour. assessments on options which can be our new local MP. You can also sign At a consultation meeting with characterised as ‘go over’, ‘go under’ or ‘go a petition at www.change.org. (just Railtrack earlier this year, we were round’. These need to have the engineering Google ‘bicester petition’). informed that neither a bridge nor fully assessed and costed. Once this is done For progress updates on the station underpass would be possible to (and my understanding is that it will take naming issue, we suggest that you redirect the road traffic. When the Rt. a month or two at least), we then have to visit the Oxford to Bicester Rail Action Hon. Sir Tony Baldry MP took the plump for one of them and then source Group (OBRAG) web site, at www. matter up with the Chief Executive of the funding. This work is going to involve obrag.org.uk. Oxfordshire County Council, it was East West Rail and the Department of said that it would take several years for Transport, as well as local government. the number of trains to become a real “There is sufficient time to complete issue, but it’s clear to everyone that it these stages, and I will be able to keep Bicester TownVILLAGE will be increasingly costly (and hence Langford Life (and of course your local unlikely) for a bridge or underpass to be councillors) up to date as things progress. constructed once the lines are in place In short, be assured we are ‘on the case’ and frequent trains are running. with this.” Langford Life Summer 2015 www.langfordlife.org.uk 4 Local update Capital surprise for Cubs! When the 1st Langford Village Cub Scout Pack went sightseeing in London recently, they had a totally unexpected treat in store. Group Scout leader Ellie Thompson reports. ack in March this year, the reminder of our visit. for us, as we make the most of the B 1st Langford Village Cub Scout We then walked through Horse lighter evenings and get outdoors as Pack had a day trip sightseeing Guards Parade, where we saw the much as possible. We are all going away in London. We travelled by train to soldiers on guard, and finally reached on camps too, when we have a great Marylebone, then took the Trafalgar Square, where we got to watch time making fires, cooking, canoeing, Underground to London Bridge. After the street entertainers. All in all we shooting and generally having fun. a quick stop at the Shard, the tallest had a fantastic (but tiring) day out and building in the EU (at 306m), we then learnt lots of interesting facts about our All these activities need dedicated walked along the South Bank before capital city. leaders who are willing to give up visiting Tower Bridge. This gave us As well as our Cub Scout Pack (ages some of their free time. If you would great views of the City, and the Cubs 8–11), we also have a Beaver Scout like to help out or learn more about really enjoyed walking over the glass Colony (ages 6–8) and a Scout Troop the Scout Group, please contact Ellie floor and seeing the road and River (11–14). This next term is really busy Thompson on 01869 322425.