Highways Agency: still time to have your say as A14 consultation continues
The Highways Agency is urging those who use the A14 and who live or work nearby to get online and have their say on the plans for the £1.5bn A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme. The consultation started on 7 April and closes on 15 June.
Members of the public can also find out more by visiting one of the exhibitions during the months of April, May and June, where they can view the plans and talk to staff about the proposals.
In September 2013 the Highways Agency held a public consultation to consider route options for the A14 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.
Mike Evans, the Highways Agency’s Senior Project Manager for the A14 scheme, 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 you think.
The Highways Agency has organised more than 30 exhibitions across Cambridgeshire, the first one was on 8 April and the last one is on 2 June, to make sure as many people as possible are informed about the plans. Details of all the events are available to view on the A14 project page on the Highways Agency website, with the next large exhibitions being at Hilton Village Hall on Friday 25, Girton College on 26 and Cambridge Science Park (The Trinity Centre) on Monday 28 April. Exhibitions at smaller venues will then run during the month of May and into early June.
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.
For the full list of exhibitions and a link to the consultation documents and questionnaire, go to:
http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/a14-cambridge-to-huntingdon-improvement-scheme/