The A14

Last week I went to a meeting with the Highways Agency to be briefed on their current proposals for the new A14. It has already been announced that contractors have been appointed to deliver the scheme and the Highways Agency hope to hold a series of public exhibitions later this year. What they propose at present is an express road between Girton and the A1 which will be dual three lane. It will have only limited junctions. Running alongside as far as Fenstanton will be a local access road, either dual two lane or possibly only single carriageway. Between Girton and Histon the road will be dual four lane, dropping down to three lanes beyond Histon. Crucially, because access to the express road will be limited, there will be no access at the Bar Hill/Northstowe junction. Traffic from there heading into Cambridge will have to use the local access road. The first junction for the express road heading westbound after Girton will the the Cambridge Services at Swavesey. The junctions at Girton and Swavesey look unbelievably complicated and construction will be a total nightmare - but on current plans we still have to wait at least another three years for work to start - by which time the price of fuel might have priced us off the road. I have a number of concerns about various aspects of the road currently under discussion, and am advised that the plans may change between now and the autumn. I have also been promised much better involvement by the Highways Agency than has been the case so far, so at least the meeting ended on a good note