Our Parish Council Chairman, Patrick Charlton, emailed the following message to Lucy Frazer last week following the PC meeting. Lucy’s response is can be found here.
Dear Lucy,
I’m emailing in my capacity as Chair of the West Wickham Parish Council. Last night we had our Parish Council meeting, on the agenda was the A1307 strategy board’s proposed North & South dualling of the A1307,as a Parish Council, we only have had sight of this report as Andrew Fraser had been sent a copy in late October.
As you are aware West Wickham Parish have been actively involved with the Local Liaison Forum with the Greater Cambridge Partnership in considering their three preferred options, the A1307 strategy board’s dualling has not currently been part of this process.
We understand that Matt Handcock chairs the A1307 Strategy board and the A1307 is one of his key priorities.
Our County Council, Henry Batchelor, has assured us that the A1307 dualling proposals are not part of the GCP plans, however in the latest report to the GCP Executive board by Report Chris Tunstall, Director of Transport on the 22/11/17 Key considerations 4.6 states as follows
“There is a proposal by the A1307 Strategy Board, led by Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, for dualling the A1307 between Haverhill and the A11. Current suggested routes bypass Linton, either to the north or the south, but connect to the A11 south of the A505. This project targets a different demographic to the GCP scheme, and the dualling, as currently conceived, would not conflict with the GCP proposals west of the A11. There would remain a need for measures to promote use of sustainable transport to reach Cambridge. “
I believe yourself and Matt Handcock are planning to or have already met with Jesse Norman, Roads Minister and the A1307 was a discussion point. Can we have clarity on what was or will be proposed to the Roads Minister with regards the A1307? Currently the estimate cost would be £190m and is rated low on the Benefit Cost Ratio.
As a Parish, we had in excess of 50 parishioners attend the meeting last night, and unsurprisingly not one was in favour of the Northern option. Stuart Miller (Chair of Horseheath) also attending our meeting as it was the first he had heard of this proposal. Many Parishioners and the Parish were extremely concerned about the lack of transparency of the 1307 Strategy board’s proposal and the link with GCP. Our understanding has always been that the GCP would only be considering improvements to the 1307 rather than a new road. We welcome any improvements to the A1307 that make it more efficient and safer, but completely oppose the building of a new road, many believe that with better public transport and improvements this can be achieved.
We would welcome your comments and assurance of your support.
Kind Regards
Patrick