Campaign group says do not make the A14 bigger, get cars off it

The A14 does not need extra capacity, it needs local commuters to stay off the roads, a campaign group has said in its submission to the Government’s A14 Challenge.

As the window for groups to tell the Government how they think the under-stress road could be improved shut this week, the Campaign for Better Transport has revealed it thinks it could solve the problem with 14 projects costing only £447 million - a steal when compared with the Highway Agency’s £1.3 billion proposal.

Where the Highway Agency recommends a widening of the dual carriageway between Ellington and Fen Ditton and a bypass around Huntingdon to keep traffic off the road, the campaign says the focus should be reducing congestion not increasing capacity.

The schemes the campaign has submitted to the Government include workplace travel plans including car sharing, improved local bus services, extended park-and-ride facilities and a drive to turn lorries into rail freight. As well as plans to tax work place car parks to raise revenue.

Sian Berry, the Campaign for Better Transport’s sustainable transport member, said: “We need a radical rethink of how to solve the problems on the A14.

“Tolling is not a viable option as experience with the M6 toll road shows that toll roads don’t work. Rather than focusing on increasing capacity which would quickly fill up again, our report aims to reduce congestion permanently.”

But the county council believes expanding the much-maligned road is the way forward.

Cllr Ian Bates said, as a regular A14 user, he knows extra capacity is “desperately needed”.

“Although some of these ideas we are already progressing, such as improved rail links and expansion to the park and rides, others would not bring the desired results or could even harm business,” he said.

“Cambridge has the potential to drive forward the national economy and therefore anything that actually harms business or could put companies off from coming to the county needs to be avoided.”

He added whatever decision is taken needs to improve safety and reduce congestion.

A spokesman for the Department of Transport, which launched the consultation on the A14 in December, said: “We will consider all of the responses put to us. These will help shape the eventual recommended package.”