City councillor's concerns over £1 billion A14 upgrade

1.29.48pm GMT Wed 10th Dec 2008

Taking a closer look at the A14 plans at Girton College are Cambridge City Council Leader, Cllr Ian Nimmo-Smith, resident Dr Belinda Brooks-Gordon and Cllr Sian Reid

Leading Cambridge City Councillor Sian Reid has questioned whether safety issues for people using the A14 for vital access to the city could be addressed with a quicker and scaled down version of the road's £1 billion upgrade.

She fears that the impact of increased traffic flowing into the city and the rise in the level of carbon emissions, have not been properly investigated.

Executive councillor for Climate Change and Growth, Cllr Reid expressed her concerns as the consultation on the upgrade of the dual carriageway between Ellington and Fen Ditton came to a close yesterday (Tuesday).

"There is no doubt that safety issues require urgent attention," she said, "but I am concerned that the impact of increased traffic flowing into the city has not been properly examined. Have traffic inhibition measures been considered especially on roads which sever communities such as in Castle and Abbey wards?

"I am also worried that the impact of carbon emissions has not been properly calculated especially in the light of new hard evidence that new roads create more traffic."

Resident, Dr Belinda Brooks-Gordon said: "My concern is that the so-called 'improvements', which more accurately used to be called 'widening', will result in a motorway on our doorstep.

"Huntingdon Road is already facing enormous pressures due to housing growth. Has the impact of these plans on Huntingdon Road and local residents, really been thought through?"

Liberal Democrats want to see more investment in the railways to allow national and international freight to be moved off the roads, while at the same time concentrating on public transport improvements into and around the city.

Cambridge MP David Howarth said: "Cambridge's prosperity depends on people being able to travel to work and that can be achieved by reducing the impact of road freight on local journeys.

"We need investment in the railways so that national and international freight can be shifted off the roads and onto rail. We should also concentrate on public transport improvements in and around the city."