Three weeks to go before A14 consultation closes
Still time to respond, visit exhibitions and take part in live web chat
The final day is approaching fast for those who want to have their say on the £1.5 billion plans for the A14 in Cambridgeshire. The Highways Agency is urging road users and those who live and work nearby to get involved in the public consultation and voice their views.
The A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme consultation started on 7 April and ends on Sunday 15 June. So far around 2,000 members of the public have visited the exhibitions, and the Agency has received more than 500 responses about their plans.
All the information people need in order to give their views – consultation documents, online questionnaire, list of exhibitions and how to contact the team - is available on the Highways Agency’s website: www.highways.gov.uk/a14cambridgetohuntingdon
If people want to speak to the A14 project team and their designers face-to-face, public exhibitions will be held until 2 June:
- Friday 23 May, 15:00 to 19:00, Longstanton Village Hall, High Street, Longstanton;
- Saturday 24 May, 10:00 to 14:00 - Dry Drayton Village Hall, High Street, Dry Drayton;
- Tuesday 27 May, 15:00 to 19:00 - Milton All Saints Church Hall, Church Lane, Milton;
- Wednesday 28 May, 16:00 to 20:00 - Oakington Pavilion, Coles Lane, Oakington;
- Thursday 29 May, 16:00 to 20:00 - Impington Village College, New Road, Impington;
- Friday 30 May, 15:00 to 19:00 - Boxworth Village Hall, St Peter, Boxworth;
- Saturday 31 May, 10:00 to 14:00 - Madingley Village Hall, High Street, Madingley;
- Monday 2 June, 16:00 to 20:00 - Lolworth Robinson Hall, High Street, Lolworth.
For those who want to ask the Agency a question in cyberspace, the final live web chat will take place on 4 June from 4pm to 5pm. It will be accessible via www.highways.gov.uk/A14webchat. Questions can be submitted in advance by emailing A14CambridgeHuntingdon@highways.gsi.gov.uk or people can register and talk to the Agency live on the day via the website.
Highways Agency senior project manager, Mike Evans, said:
This is a vital scheme that will deliver benefits for Cambridgeshire and those who regularly use the A14, and we want to make sure the scheme best meets the needs of businesses, road-users and the local community.
There is still plenty of time for everyone with an interest in this scheme to have their say so get online and let us know what they think.
After the success of the first web chat we held on 29 April, we are hoping that the public will again join me on 4 June to get answers to their questions. I hope this will help shape their response to our consultation.
The existing A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon carries almost 85,000 vehicles a day; significantly more than it was designed for, resulting in congestion and delays.
In September 2013 the Highways Agency held a public consultation to consider route options for the up to £1.5 billion A14 improvement scheme. As a result of this exercise, the proposed scheme has been developed in more detail and plans to toll the road have been dropped.
The changes that have been made in response to feedback from last year’s consultation include improvements to Brampton, Swavesey, Bar Hill and Girton junctions. 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 and to have their say on the plans.
The Agency will announce the preferred route in the summer before submitting its planning application, which is known as a Development Consent Order or DCO, 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.
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000
Media enquiries
Journalists should contact the Highways Agency press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer