Agenda item

Councillor T Hayward to move:

“That this Council notes -

  The announcement that Government is to invest funding into a study looking into the status of the A1 between Peterborough and the M25 is very welcome.

  Since the M1 to Leeds and then the A1 north of that has been seen as the strategic route to the north, the A1 through Huntingdonshire has become something of a ‘forgotten route’.  The need for improvements is no more acute than at Buckden roundabout where the District Council’s own infrastructure study has shown that it is a significant constraint to growth as well as the road being a blight on the lives of the residents of Buckden, Diddington and Southoe.

  The possibility of the route being upgraded to motorway standard is an important development and the fact that the previous planned improvement between Baldock, Hertfordshire to Alconbury as part of the then Government White Paper ‘Roads for Prosperity’ in 1989 is being quoted as a possibility again, is something that should be investigated.

  The recent Highways Agency Route-Based Strategy investigations for the A1 is due to publish its final recommendations in March 2015.  The initial report has shown that between London and Leeds, this section of the A1 represents one of the ten most least-reliable journey time locations on the route.  Additionally, the report highlights poor network performance in the peak hours, safety concerns and congestion on the route through Buckden.

This Council believes -

  That given we have three major trunk routes passing through the District and two of these, the A14 and A428, are subject to improvement proposals, it is vital that similar improvements to the A1 be made.

  From London, this is the last roundabout between Buckden and North Berwick, a distance of 278 miles.

  The existing route lacks the capacity to accommodate current and future travel demands as well as planned growth and a comprehensive approach is needed for a wholesale upgrading of the route to motorway standard because piecemeal improvement schemes would not offer a satisfactory solution addressing both strategic and local needs.

  Given the nature of the current problems, Huntingdonshire’s Draft Local Plan to 2036 highlights the current capacity constraints on the A1 at Buckden.  Likewise, Cambridgeshire County Council’s Long-Term Transport Strategy includes the need for options to be considered for this stretch of the A1 in order to provide new capacity for growth and to address existing problems on this stretch of the transport network.

  Whilst there are planned improvements to the A14 and A428, it is important that similar improvements on this section of the A1 are brought forward as soon as possible so that the route does not act as a barrier to the future growth and prosperity of the area.

  Therefore this Council calls on the Executive Leader and Executive Councillor for Planning and Housing Strategy to work with their fellow Members to –

  seek a firm commitment from Government and the Highways Agency that a comprehensive study of options for the A1 from the south of the District to the planned new A1/A14 junction will be developed and that a comprehensive scheme for both strategic and local traffic developed, funded and delivered at the earliest opportunity for this section of the A1 through Huntingdonshire to enable it to perform effectively as part of a strategic north/south route between London and Scotland; and

  develop an A1 alliance to work with our key partners, including neighbouring authorities, the Highways Agency and local Members of Parliament to lobby Government for early investment and improvements on this section of the A1 thereby enabling the continued growth and prosperity of this area.”.

Before proceeding to the Motion on the Agenda, the Chairman announced his intention to invoke the discretion awarded to him under paragraph 9.5 (iii) of the Council Procedure Rules and to rule that the Motion submitted by Councillor T Hayward on being moved and seconded will be dealt with at the meeting in the interests of the convenient and conducive despatch of the Council’s business. 

Accordingly, it was moved by Councillor T Hayward and duly seconded that –

“This Council notes:

The announcement that Government is to invest funding into a study looking into the status of the A1 between Peterborough and the M25 is very welcome.

Since the M1 to Leeds and then the A1 north of that has been seen as the strategic route to the North, the A1 through Huntingdonshire has become something of a ‘forgotten route’. The need for improvements is no more acute than at Buckden roundabout where HDC’s own Infrastructure Study has shown that it is a significant constraint to growth as well as the road being a blight on the lives of the residents of Buckden, Diddington and Southoe.

The possibility of the route being upgraded to motorway standard is an important development and the fact that the previous planned improvement between Baldock, Hertfordshire to Alconbury as part of the then Government White Paper ‘Roads for Prosperity’ in 1989 is being quoted as a possibility again, is something that should be investigated.

The recent Highways Agency Route-Based Strategy investigations for the A1 is due to publish its final recommendations in March 2015. The initial report has shown that between London and Leeds, this section of the A1 represents one of the ten most least-reliable journey time locations on the route. Additionally, the report highlights poor network performance in the peak hours, safety concerns and congestion on the route through Buckden.

This Council believes:

That given we have three major trunk routes passing through the District and two of these, the A14 and A428, are subject to improvement proposals, it is vital that similar improvements to the A1 be made.

From London, this is the last roundabout between Buckden and North Berwick, a distance of some 278 miles.

The existing route lacks the capacity to accommodate current and future travel demands as well as planned growth and a comprehensive approach is needed for a wholesale upgrading of the route to motorway standard because piecemeal improvement schemes would not offer a satisfactory solution addressing both strategic and local needs.

  Given the nature of the current problems Huntingdonshire’s Draft Local Plan to 2036 highlights the current capacity constraints on the A1 at Buckden. Likewise, Cambridgeshire County Council Long-Term Transport Strategy includes the need for options to be considered for this stretch of the A1 in order to provide new capacity for growth and to address existing problems on this stretch of the transport network.

Whilst there are planned improvements to the A14 and A428, it is important that similar improvements on this section of the A1 are brought forward as soon as possible so that the route does not act as a barrier to the future growth and prosperity of the area.

Therefore, this Council calls on the Executive Leader and Executive Councillor for Planning & Housing Strategy to work with their fellow Members to:

·  seek a firm commitment from Government and the Highways Agency that a comprehensive study of options for the A1 from the south of the District to the planned new A1/A14 junction will be developed and that a comprehensive scheme for both strategic and local traffic developed, funded and delivered at the earliest opportunity for this section of the A1 through Huntingdonshire to enable it to perform effectively as part of a strategic north/south route between London and Scotland; and

·  develop an A1 alliance to work with our key partners including neighboring authorities, the Highways Agency and local Members of Parliament to lobby government for early investment and improvements on this section of the A1 thereby enabling the continued growth and prosperity of this area.”

Following debate and having been put to the vote, the Motion was declared to be CARRIED.