Open the link road - Parkway to Kingfisher Way, Hinchingbrooke

The petition to open up the Kingfisher Way link road, one way, out only, has now been signed by more than 1300 people. This has increased from 500 signatures since the petition was last considered by the CCC Highways & Infrastructure Committee.

This demonstrates that the proposal to open up the link road has considerable support from the local community.

Traffic gridlock along Hinchingbrooke Park Road is simply unacceptable and this problem is the issue of greatest concern to most Hinchingbrooke residents and to many staff and visitors to Hinchingbrooke Hospital

Tom Sanderson, Patricia Jordan, Peter Downes and I met with representatives from Cambs County Council again yesterday.

We continue to urge Cambridgeshire County Council to actively consider the feasibility of opening up the Kingfisher Way link road, at least on a trial basis to assess the traffic impact in real time.

Letter to Chief Executive of Cambs CC

Dear Gillian,

The current daily traffic gridlock along Hinchingbrooke Park Road early mornings and late afternoons is totally unacceptable.

The situation has deteriorated significantly since the temporary traffic lights were installed opposite Hinchingbrooke School.

Local residents are desperate to see action taken to improve the situation. If you look at comments on Hinchingbrooke Neighbourhood Facebook page you will see that people feel trapped on the estate and it is not unusual for people to sit in traffic jams for 1 hour or more to drive off the estate.

Please can you urgently review the option of opening up the Kingfisher Way link road outwards one way only at least on a temporary basis until the temporary traffic lights are removed.

The petition to open up the Kingfisher Way link road has now been signed by more than 720 people. I would urge you to urgently review this option.

John Morris

UPDATE 17/10/2018 - The fight continues to tackle traffic gridlock

Below is a summary of the motion submitted by Cllr Peter Downes and Cllr Tom Sanderson to Cambs CC was unamously supported by all members at a meeting of the Full Council on 16 October 2018.

"This Council requests the Chief Executive of Cambs CC write to Highways England to ask it to engage constructively and sympathetically with the County Council and local Councillors to reach a solution which takes into consideration the widespread concerns of local residents, the changing financial circumstances of the county council and reaches a solution which will make the situation better not worse."

UPDATE: 4th September 2018

The petition to open the Kingfisher Way Link Rd has now been signed by more than 540 people including 492 on-line.

Tom Sanderson and Peter Downes will formally present the petition to Cambs CC's Highways & Community Infrastructure Committee which is taking place at 10am on Tuesday, 11th September, in the Kreis Viersen Room at Shire Hall, Cambridge.

The meeting is open to the public so if you are in Cambridge that morning please do pop in to show your support.

John Morris

UPDATE

Cllr Tom Sanderson and Cllr Peter Downes met with a senior project manager from Highways England and and senior officer from Cambs CCC Highways recently to talk about our current and future concerns about the Hinchingbrooke gridlock.

Tom & Peter put the case that the present situation is unsatisfactory and we foresee things getting worse when there are more houses and the roads are re-configured after the viaduct comes down in 2020/21.

Clearly Cambs CC / Highways England are anxious not to have to change the approved plans and they seemed to think that the proposed traffic lights at the Hinchingbrooke junction will ease traffic flow.

Cambs CC / Highways England agreed to go away and investigate the possibility of making the link road through the business park open for general use, one way only, and for restricted hours. Tom & Peter argued the case for an entirely new extra link road from Parkway through to the de-trunked A14.

Cambridge News has now picked up this story. Page 4 in today's issue:

https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/hinchingbrooke-hospital-ae-directions-a14-14569260#ICID=sharebar_twitter

UPDATE:

1. Our idea is to open up the link road ONE WAY ONLY towards the A14 on a
trail basis to assess the traffic impact.

2. It could be limited to say no more than 2 hours in the morning (maybe 6.30am
to 8.30am) and perhaps from 4pm to 6pm in the afternoon, WEEKDAYS ONLY.

3. We would need Traffic weight restrictions and

4. parking restriction along Parkway to reduce the risk of rat running and to ensure that road safety considerations are carefully managed.

We all know that traffic leaving Hinchingbrooke is often at grid lock at peak periods.

The situation will only get worse now that Huntingdonshire District Council has controversially granted planning permission for Persimmon Homes to build 103 new homes on the former forensic lab site against the wishes of most local residents.

We have now got 260 signatures asking Cambs CC to open the link road on Hinchingbrooke. Our next target is 300. Please will you ask your friends and neighbours if they will also sign the petition?

Please copy this link and email it to at least two people:

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/open-the-link-road-parkway-to-kingfisher-way-himchingbrooke

Thank you for your support.

John Morris & Tom Sanderson