CONSULTATION: Share your thoughts on A14
Plans for the £1.5billion A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme have moved a step closer after the Highways Agency launched a ten-week consultation.
Proposals to toll the road have been dropped following last September’s public consultation, while improvements to the Brampton, Swavesey, Bar Hill and Girton junctions have been drawn up.
An updated local access road has also been proposed between Fen Drayton and Swavesey.
The current consultation exercise forms part of the statutory planning process and is intended to give local residents, businesses, haulage operators and communities more information on the scope and details of the proposals.
“The redevelopment of the £1.5billion A14 scheme is vital to the economic development of the region, helping to support and unlock growth across the East of England.”
Robert Goodwill MP
Roads Minister Robert Goodwill said: “The redevelopment of the £1.5billion A14 scheme is vital to the economic development of the region, helping to support and unlock growth across the East of England.
“The new consultation is an important next step in the development process, not only for local businesses, but for residents and motorists who are subject to delays and reliability issues on a daily basis.
“I encourage anyone who uses the A14 to get online and have their say.”
Ian Parker, Project Director at the Highways Agency, added: “This is a vital scheme that will deliver benefits for Cambridgeshire and those who regularly use the A14.
“This consultation forms part of the planning process, so it’s an important opportunity for everyone with an interest in this scheme to get involved and to let us know what they think.
“That way we can make sure the scheme best meets the needs of businesses, road-users and the local community.”
The Highways Agency have organised more than 30 events across Cambridgeshire over the next ten weeks to ensure as many people as possible are informed about the plans.
Details of the events are available to view on the A14 project page on the Highways Agency website.
The Agency will announce the preferred route in the summer before submitting their planning application to the Planning Inspectorate in the autumn.
Subject to a successful examination of the planning application, work is due to start on site in late 2016.
Malcolm Bingham, Head of Road Network Policy at the Freight Transport Association, said: “Now that the government has abandoned all thought of tolling the A14 near to Cambridge it is time to look seriously at the Highways Agency proposals to develop this stretch of the road network which is so important to strategic freight movements.
“The consultation issued today indicates a preferred route for the A14, and it is important to assess if the new proposal will provide better journey reliability on the road between Cambridge and the A1 near to Huntingdon.”
