Question 36d

A route for aggregate lorries serving the A14 improvements to come off the A14 westbound directly (left-off, left-on) to fill up AT GROUND LEVEL from the aggregate depot, would be a great improvement, so that this activity did not affect the development of the area or traffic on Milton Road.

Strategic traffic modelling work is required to identify the highway capacity improvements required on the Milton Road corridor and access to the site. Priority needs to be given in the City Deal to funding transport schemes that improve the accessibility of the CNFE site.
Area-wide travel planning should be given greater importance in reducing existing vehicular travel demand by extending the existing Travel Plan Plus scheme. The County Council also needs to undertake further assessment work to understand the impact of the new railway station on the potential for modal shift from car to rail trips in the local area.

Savills Planning Team in Cambridge are instructed on behalf of St John's College, Cambridge to submit responses to the Issues and Options Report on the CNFE having regard to the College's landholdings and land interests at St John's Innovation Park west of Cowley Road and east of Milton Road.

It is the case that vehicular access into and out of the CNFE Plan area remains a significant problem and it is through land ownerships and incremental changes and piecemeal highway works that have created a situation whereby the existing access to the area is limited with a single main route in the form of Cowley Road in and out of Milton Road. Conseqently the Councils have accepted that this creates a significant bottle neck constraint to further development given the amount of heavy peak time congestion and the environmental and economic consequences of such characteristics. Clearly in the circumstances where significant new development proposals are coming forward for the area, then it is entirely appropriate that a wholesale comprehensive highway solution needs to be considered. Such an access needs to secure links into the whole of the area and certainly create an environment where the present problems do not exist.

In such a context, it would appear that the most obvious area to concentrate major highway improvements is the interface where Cowley Road meets Milton Road close to the entrance of the Cambridge Business Park. In the situation where Cowley Road remains the main route to and from any new railway station then it is clear that it is at this point that a significant new junction needs to be put in place to cope with new traffic levels. To perpetuate a situation where the whole area is being accessed through a single stretch of road wedged between the Innovation Park area and the Taylor Vinters buildings is simply going to exacerbate existing problems and dissuade landowners from looking at alternative uses and dissuading investors in bringing forward development proposals. A new major interchange is required for vehicular traffic with the existing network of footpath and cycleways creating links to the surrounding area.

The quantum of development envisaged through the AAP should be reduced to reflect that which is sustainable in the next five years. This needs to take account of the delivery times for the railway station, Guided busway interchange and the Milton Road A10 / A14 access upgrades.

It must be time to consider widening Milton Road to two lanes southbound, between the Science Park junction and the busway. Congestion approaching the Science Park is already a serious problem, particularly as it often stretches back to the A14. This problem can only become worse if the area is developed, even if the focus is on sustainable transport.

36.1 Vehicle access into and out of the CNFE Plan area remains a significant problem. Diversified land ownership, incremental changes and piecemeal highway works have created a situation whereby existing access to the area is limited, with a single main route - Cowley Road - in and out of Milton Road. The Councils have accepted that this creates a major constraint on further development, with heavy peak time congestion and associated environmental and economic consequences. To accommodate the significant new development proposals, a wholesale highway solution needs to be prepared. Provision of access is required for the benefit of the whole area at a level that circumvents the existing bottlenecks.

36.2 The most obvious point at which to concentrate major highway improvements is the interface between Cowley Road and Milton Road, close to the entrance of the Cambridge Business Park. Cowley Road will remain the main route to and from any new railway station, so it is clear that a significant new provision is required at this junction to cope with increased traffic levels. The current arrangements involve the whole area being accessed through a single stretch of road wedged between the St John's Innovation Park area and the Taylor Vinters building. If provision is not materially increased, existing problems will be exacerbated, dissuading landowners from looking at alternative uses and discouraging investors from bringing forward development proposals. A major new interchange is required for vehicle traffic, with the existing network of footpath and cycleways creating links to the surrounding area.

All options will require more detailed transport assessment work to understand the transport implications, across all modes, of the proposals including their inter-relationship with emerging proposals under development by the County Council as part of the City Deal programme. Although this is true of all options, this is particularly the case for those that propose higher levels of development which might require significant transport intervention to ensure that transport impacts are not severe. This applies to both the local networks (walk, cycle, bus, and highway) and also the strategic road (i.e.: Highways Agency) and rail (ie: Network Rail) networks.

Insufficient detail to comment at this stage.

All the options fail to consider pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users, including disabled on buses, by placing a Multi-storey carpark right next to the station. This replicates the horrendous conditions at Cambridge railway station where vehicles pick up and deposit people just a couple of metres from the front door, creating a fume-filled and dangerous approach, frequently gridlocked and preventing buses from completing a turning round a small roundabout. This delays the buses from arriving at their stops, delays the public travelling on them and makes it the poor relation.

The carpark should be sited a minimum of 100 metres away - a covered walkway could be provided, if one is also provided from public transport users - but priority must be given to pedestrians and users of public transport (excludes taxis). Similarly, a taxi rank should not be any closer than 100 metres to allow space for ordinary and guided buses.

One would hope that after so much publicity cyclists would be considered too and allowed a traffic free approach where the interaction with LGVs/buses is eliminated. This is the chance to prevent the distressing and needless deaths one sees so often in London and the cities.

Bus priority measures are being explored along Milton Road and this is supported in principle. The potential to intelligently use carriageway space in the vicinity of the Science Park should also be explored to respond to changes in tidal demand.

The nearside lane of Milton Road southbound from the interchange should be a Cowley Road only filter lane.

See attached document

See attached document

See attached document

See attached document

I find all proposed options to be too restricted with the use of space. A mix of residential use, offices and industry would be preferable to give it a more natural feel. For example, leave the Nuffield Road industrial area and more residential use development further north. Also consider a more modular approach that allows to develop toward a future goal, but doesn't depend on things (like moving the water recycling centre) from the get go.

*******************


9) Objective 3 shouldn't get highest priority.
14) 11-13 are too divided in to use of space, a more natural mix of residential, offices and industrial would be better. Also, re-use as much of what is already there as possible.
15, 16, 17) No clear explanations, which means meaning will be defined later.
18b) Would destroy the feeling of that part of the city.
23c) Science Park should be independent.
24d) This should only be considered if there are no other options. Moving the businesses will be expesive, so leave them there and build the residential area somewhere else.
30e) Student accomodation should be integrated so they won't all be in the same area.
36) Whatever makes best sense for transport at the current stage of the project.

1) Whilst I support the principle of regeneration of this site, the development of the new railway station and extension of the guided busway, I believe the Sewage Treatment Works should be moved elsewhere in order to permit a greater proportion of sustainable urban living than commercial and industrial premises. The opportunity should be taken to remove this source of odour from the north of Cambridge. It may be appropriate to develop commercial units on the northern part of the site, against the A14, to provide a sound and pollution barrier for the residents further south in the site.
2)There is an excess of industrial units un-let in and around Cambridge. I doubt that more industrial units on this site would be used. I feel there is more need for housing.
3) Whilst the aggregates railhead is required I believe road access should be provided by means of a westbound off-slip from the A14 and a westbound on-slip to the A14. Aggregates lorries should NOT travel via the Milton Road onto or off the CNFE site. Whatever the solution, aggregate lorries should be restricted to the northern fringe of the site, to separate them from domestic traffic and they should not travel into Cambridge on the Milton Road.
4) The Household Waste Recycling Centre should NOT be moved from Butt Lane to this valuable site. The operation at Butt Lane is required to be monitored for as many years as it takes for the waste to completely decompose, so there is no compelling reason to move the HWRC from Butt Lane to the CNFE area.
5)A road bridge across the railway should be provide access to the northern end of Fen Road. Alternatively, since a foot and cycle bridge is planned for the railway station, I suggest it should be extended across the tracks, with appropriate gates, to provide pedestrian and cycle access for the residents of Fen Road.

See attached document