p15 november 2015 new_new folio - news rhp mk 22/10/2015 10:48 Page 1 Comment www.businessmk.co.uk www.businessinbedfordshire.co.uk www.business-northants.co.uk November 2015 15 Refined entry process is boosting numbers for awards THE SEARCH is now well under way ment experts Evolution Live. process will then commence and a final company other than your own for an for Milton Keynes’ leading businesses, This year the process for entry has shortlist of businesses announced. award. This could be a supplier, cus - which have until November 30 to sub - been split into two stages: Stage 1 sim - tomer or a company that you feel mit their entries for the prestigious MK ply requires businesses to answer ten Success should be recognised for their accom - Business Achievement Awards. simple questions, including basic details plishments. The awards return for the third con - about their company and information MKBLP chair Dr Philip Smith said: “We have seen a large increase in secutive year on March 10. They are about its key attributes and achieve - “There are 12 awards categories this the number of entries compared to this organised by the Milton Keynes ments. year that are open to all businesses in time last year which, I am sure, is a Business Leaders Partnership in collab - The closing date for Stage 1 entries the MK postcode area. result of both the streamlined process oration with full service marketing is November 30. Applications will then which may require further details to be “For the first time we are also intro - and of the growing success and rising agency Interdirect and event manage - be reviewed and approved for Stage 2, submitted by January 20. The judging ducing the opportunity to nominate a profile of the awards.” To enter the awards, or nominate a company that you believe is worthy of recognition, visit www.mkbaa.co.uk. To find out more follow @MK_BAA on Twitter, and join the discussion on LinkedIn. Theo Chalmers Theo Chalmers is managing www.urbaneden.org www.vervepr.co.uk director of Verve Public e: [email protected] Relations and Tel: 01908 275271 chair of Urban Eden. FIRST STAGE ENTRIES CLOSE 30TH NOVEMBER 2015 Station expansion is a Visit www.mkbaa.co.uk to submit the first stage of your entry gateway to a muddle FIRSTThis STAGE year’s ENTRIES categories: OPEN 3rd September 2015 BLETCHLEY Station... Oh no, sive rises in house prices. commuters not deserve better Visit www.mkbaa.co.ukInnovation to submit and Technologythe first stage of your entry how boring. But wait - Bletchley There are still big issues for options than those at the hard-to- Hospitality Station might just be the most Network Rail to resolve, not park and congested Milton important underdeveloped site least the dysfunctional level Keynes Central? Professional Practice in Milton Keynes. crossings at Woburn Sands and The existing plans for Leisure & Entertainment It already has many rail lines Bow Brickhill. When the high ‘Bletchley for Bletchley Park’, Environmental running through it and advanced speed trains on the East West as it’s currently snappily plans exist to add two new plat - Rail line are in full six-an-hour monikered, are a pig’s breakfast. Private Business forms, bringing its total to eight flow, along with two-an-hour They require passengers to tra - Logistics and Distribution - more than Milton Keynes low speed services, regular verse stairs and bridges over six Community Impact Central station - as Bletchley freight traffic and services lines between the current unpre - provides the key central focus of between points such as Bristol possessing entrance and the East Manufacturing the new and fully-funded East and York, serious traffic jams West lines. However, a new con - Design and Creativity West Rail Link. await. course leading on to Saxon The revived route, when com - But let’s be positive and trust Street with ready access to the Independent Retailer plete, will reinstate the old Network Rail to resolve these bus station, taxis and drop-off New Business Varsity Line between Oxford issues given that they exist with - points and close to shopping in and Cambridge and link in just a few miles of their new Queensway is easily possible. Ipswich, Norwich and head offices. Wheelchair passengers are Business of the Year Cambridge with Letchworth, even more discommoded by the Deserve Lifetime Achievement Award Bedford, Milton Keynes, current plans, having to power Bicester and Oxford, allowing themselves over perhaps a quar - connections to Swindon, the Bletchley will be so important ter of a mile to avoid stairs and Thames Valley, South West because it will provide an easy- reach the buses. Know a great a company that you think deserves England and South Wales, with a to-park ‘Parkway-style’ high- A leading local town planner recognition for their achievements? spur to Aylesbury and now pos - speed hub for local commuters has already drawn up alternative sibly a direct link to Heathrow. to nearly all points West, East, plans which show that Bletchley You can nominate them for an award at Other links to Southampton and South, even North, adding both Parkway (as it might more prop - even York could also be avail - breadth and complexity to the erly be called) could be a more www.mkbaa.co.uk/nominate able. choices already available from successful hub than Milton And it is already under way. Milton Keynes Central. Keynes Central. On October 26, rail links opened However, Milton Keynes Come on Milton Keynes between the brand new Oxford Council is only putting in a Council, you are already throw - Parkway station and London measly £1.2 million to develop ing away opportunities to pro - Marylebone, running over the facilities at the station instead of vide a new gateway to our city at first phase of the line between the possibly £5-6 million the junction of the old Grand Oxford and Bicester. required to totally transform Union canal and the planned Preparation work on the Bletchley’s future. Bedford Waterway. Oxford-Bletchley section has We are told Bletchley helped Here is another great opportu - begun and a new station is to be win the war. Does it not deserve nity. Please do not waste that built at Winslow, causing mas - a world class station? And do too. Cheerio..