Routes – Ampthill and Flitwick Green Wheel consultation
The proposed Ampthill and Flitwick Green Wheel covers the settlements of Ampthill and Flitwick, and provides links to Millbrook, Maulden, Flitton and Greenfield, Westoning and Steppingley.
Ampthill west: Flitwick Road, Steppingley, to Woburn
The map below outlines the proposed Ampthill west ‘rim’ of the green wheel.
This part of the proposed Ampthill and Flitwick Green Wheel uses existing bridleways and footpaths between Steppingley and Ampthill.
Some sections do not currently have pavements or surfaced paths and would need improvements to safely link routes together. This includes better crossings, clearer connections to existing paths, and upgrades to some unsurfaced sections.
The route connects to the Greensand Ridge Walk and continues towards Ampthill Park, providing a continuous walking route through the area.
Cycling would follow separate existing cycleways where available.
Ampthill north: Woburn Road to Church Street
The map below outlines the proposed Ampthill north ‘rim’ of the green wheel.
Two route options are proposed in this area.
One option is a walking only route through Ampthill Park, following existing footpaths and the Greensand Ridge Walk, where cycling is not permitted.
The second option is a shared walking and cycling route that follows the A507/Woburn Road, using existing cycleways, pavements and green spaces, with potential upgrades where space allows. Both routes rejoin at Bedford Street before continuing east through existing footpaths towards Houghton Park and Church Street.
This section of the green wheel links to several well-known local places, including Ampthill Park, Cooper’s Hill and Houghton House.
Ampthill east: Church Street to A507, Flitwick Road, Maulden Road
The map below outlines the proposed Ampthill east ‘rim’ of the green wheel.
Due to limited off‑road cycling options in this area, this section of the green wheel is proposed as a walking route only for now. Opportunities for cycling could be explored in the future.
The route uses existing pavements, footpaths, quiet residential streets and small green spaces, passing areas such as Everritts Field Allotments, Abbey Lane Playing Fields and surrounding neighbourhoods. Some sections would need improvements, and care would be taken to protect sensitive areas such as wildflower habitats.
From Abbey Lane, the route continues across farmland to the A507, where a safe crossing would be needed to connect to the proposed Flitwick Nature Park.
This section of the green wheel links several important green spaces, including CutThroat Meadow Nature Reserve and Redborne Wood, helping to improve access to nature and support wildlife.
Flitwick east: A507, Flitwick Road, Maulden Road to Greenfield Road
The map below outlines the proposed Ampthill east ‘rim’ of the green wheel.
After crossing the A507, the route enters the proposed Flitwick Nature Park, following a corridor alongside Maulden Road. The final route through the park will depend on the planning application currently being considered.
A new path would be needed to connect the nature park to the nearby industrial area, before joining existing pavements and tracks. The route then follows footpaths and pavements past Flitwick Moor and along Maulden Road to reach Kings Road and Greenfield Road.
An alternative route north of Flitwick Mill is also being explored, which could reduce the need to use busy roads in the future.
Flitwick south: Greenfield Road to Church Road, Manor Way
The map below outlines the proposed Flitwick south ‘rim’ of the green wheel.
Two route options are proposed in this area.
One option is a walking route that follows pavements and footpaths through Flitwick Moor. The other is a shared walking and cycling route that uses quieter residential streets such as Station Road and Water Lane.
Both routes join alongside the River Flit. This path can become muddy in winter but could be improved. It passes under the railway before continuing along quiet streets to Dunstable Road, where there is a signal‑controlled crossing.
West of Dunstable Road there is currently no off‑road route. In the short term, the green wheel could use the quieter section of Church Road. In the future, a new off‑road route through Manor Park could be explored.
This section of the green wheel passes important local places including Flitwick Moor, Flitwick Mill and Manor Park, offering wildlife, heritage and recreation opportunities.
Flitwick West: Church Road, Manor Way to Flitwick Road (Steppingley)
The map below outlines the proposed Flitwick west ‘rim’ of the green wheel.
There are currently no suitable off‑road cycling routes, so this section of the green wheel is proposed as a walking route only for now. The public bridleway provides a north–south link but poor ground conditions mean it is not suitable for cycling at present.
Cyclists would use nearby on‑road routes through Manor Way and surrounding residential streets to connect with existing bridleways.
The walking route follows wide field‑edge paths and existing recreational routes, including Katherine’s Walk, which runs around the eastern edge of Center Parcs Woburn Forest before reaching the A507. Where roads are narrow or busy, there may be opportunities to create safer paths using grass verges. From here, the route continues along quieter paths and residential roads into Steppingley.
This section of the green wheel passes close to Flitwick Wood and Flitwick Leisure Centre, offering access to important green spaces, wildlife and wellbeing routes.
Central east-west spoke
The map below outlines the proposed central east-west spoke of the green wheel.
A central route is proposed between Ampthill and Flitwick to link the 2 towns and allow the green wheel to be used as shorter circular routes, as well as a continuous green corridor.
The proposed route runs from Steppingley to Maulden Road, next to the planned Flitwick Nature Park. To make this route work safely, improvements would be needed along Flitwick Road, including a new path set within the existing hedgerow where possible.
The route would then follow green corridors and existing cycleways through Flitwick, passing under the railway and across the A5120 using existing crossings. Some sections would initially be walking only, with opportunities for future improvements.
The route continues through green space and into the proposed Flitwick Nature Park, where path improvements would be needed, before linking to existing bridleways towards Maulden Road.
Other spokes
Other potential spokes connecting the rim of the green wheel either to the central spoke or to key locations/services within the towns will be developed. At this stage the following are proposed.
Flitwick – Manor Way to Flitwick train station
One proposed spoke would run from Manor Way to Flitwick station. It would mostly use existing cycleways and green corridors through housing areas, passing close to Tesco and Flitwick train station. The route could also provide links to local schools.
The route passes near The Mount, the site of a historic 11th‑century castle.
The map below outlines the proposed Manor Way to station (Flitwick) central spoke of the green wheel.
Center Parcs to Flitwick train station spoke
The map below outlines the proposed Center Parcs to Flitwick station central spoke of the green wheel.
Flitwick north east
Two connected spoke route options are proposed in this area, both following the Ridgeway. Improvements would be needed to make the Ridgeway suitable for cycling.
A short side route would use the bridleway to connect with the proposed Flitwick Nature Park.
The main route continues along Catherine Way, Hinkley Road and Roman Road, passing through Hinkley Road Recreation Ground before joining existing footpaths and reconnecting with the main green wheel route on the eastern edge of Flitwick. These sections would also need upgrades to allow cycling.
The map below outlines the proposed Flitwick north east spoke of the green wheel.
Central spoke to Woburn Road, Ampthill
This walking-only route provides a direct link from Ampthill Park, Cooper’s Hill and the Alameda to the central spoke, without going through the town centre. Cycling is not possible because the railway footbridge cannot be used by cyclists.
The route uses existing bridleways, footpaths, and a quiet residential street, passes through an industrial area, and crosses the railway on a footbridge. It then follows a path alongside the railway before joining the central spoke at Froghall Road.
The map below outlines the proposed central spoke to Woburn Road (Ampthill) of the green wheel.
The above is proposed as key spoke route options, with scope for additional spokes to be identified and added.
Links to neighbouring settlements
Beyond the outer rim of the green wheel, there are several villages for which Ampthill and Flitwick are important service centres. The green wheel can also provide links to/from these villages. Analysis of these has been undertaken to identify at least one connecting route for pedestrian access, linking to these settlements via the rights of way network. Further work is required to develop these, including an assessment of future cycling potential.
Millbrook
Millbrook is a small village, 2.4km or 1.5miles northwest of the centre of Ampthill. It has a population of approximately 150.
The map below outlines the proposed link to Millbrook.
Millbrook could connect to the green wheel using existing footpaths leading to the Woburn Road cycle path. A footpath that links the southern part of the village with Millbrook Church may be suitable with improvements, but the section between Sandhill Close and the church is steep and narrow, so further work is needed to see if cycling would be safe.
Maulden
The village of Maulden lies 1.6km or 1 mile east of Ampthill. It has a population of approximately 3,100.
The map below outlines the proposed link to Maulden.
Maulden connects to the proposed green wheel at the Church Street, Ailesbury Road, Snow Hill roundabout via 2 pedestrian routes: a footpath across fields in Maulden and the pavement along Snow Hill.
The footpath connects to other footpaths and quiet roads in Ampthill, providing a route to the town centre. In Maulden, it links to Flitwick Road using the Maulden footpaths, however one is narrow and cannot easily be widened.
Greenfield
The village of Greenfield lies 2.1km or 1.3 miles east of the centre of Flitwick. Together with Flitton, 1km to the north, it has a population of approximately 1,900.
The map below outlines the proposed links to Flitton and Greenfield.
The central spoke would run around Flitwick Nature Park to Maulden Road. A controlled crossing is recommended here to make it easier to reach nearby footpaths and routes to Mill Lane, Greenfield and Flitton. Much of this route has already been improved and provides links to Flitton Moor Nature Reserve.
Two alternative routes are also proposed. One would pass through Flitwick Moor, but this would be walking only to protect the sensitive site. Another option follows the pavement along Greenfield Road, linking to the High Street and working well for pedestrians.
Westoning
The village of Westoning lies 2.3km or 1.4 miles south of the centre of Flitwick. It has a population of approximately 2,200.
The map below outlines the proposed link to Westoning.
The main proposed route to Westoning follows the pavement along the A5120. This would be walking only, as there is not enough space to safely widen the pavement for cycling without major changes to the road.
The alternative route is less preferred, as it would need significant upgrades, is unlit, passes through open farmland, and may feel less safe, especially for children.
A longer-term option could follow the railway line south of Flitwick, which is considered a possible future route.
Steppingley
The village of Steppingley lies 2.3km or 1.4 miles west of the centre of Flitwick. It has a population of approximately 240.
The map below outlines the proposed link to Steppingley.
Steppingley is already on the proposed green wheel route, so no extra link is needed. The most direct route into Flitwick is along Flitwick Road, but this road has no pavement or cycle lane, so it is not currently suitable for the green wheel.
An “area of search” has been identified nearby to create a safer, suitable green wheel route along this corridor.