Longstanton - The Missing Link

A major source of irritation has been what I describe as the missing link - a half mile stretch of road between Longstanton and the entrance to the new Park and Ride where there is no footway - or cycleway. The cycleway from Willingham currently ends at the level crossing, but will be extended to link into the park and ride site next year. I have had long and fruitless discussions with some officers over the past twelve months to try to get this extended as far as the junction with the new bypass, where the footway starts again. The main problem appears to have been that since Gallaghers will be developing this particular stretch of land as part of the Northstowe development, nobody wanted to spend any money on improvements which might only be temporary. My argument has been that temporary may well be many years, depending on the economic climate and how Northstowe is actually developed. Earlier this week I met with two Directors at Shire Hall to put my case yet again and it appears that this has had the desired effect. They are now looking at how the missing link might be delivered, so that residents from Longstanton will be able to walk or cycle to the park and ride and therefore access the guided busway. I am hoping to have more information in the next few weeks, but this is a major step forward.