Author: Clerk

A14 – Time Saving Robot

Time-saving road marking robot makes it a happy new year for driversJANUARY 2, 2020

Image shows robot that helps to mark out where white lines are needed

A clever little robot is saving drivers on England’s busiest roads from hundreds of hours of disruption.

The quirky machine uses precise positioning technology to mark out where white lines need to be painted on new or resurfaced roads.

The robot has already saved hundreds of hours of working time on various Highways England projects across the country, including Britain’s biggest road upgrade, the £1.5 billion A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme.

It also recently pre-marked eight miles of the M6 in Staffordshire in four hours. This work would usually take two engineers over a week to complete.

Savings elsewhere include saving 27 hours of working time marking three miles of hard shoulder on the M4 in Berkshire, 77 hours covering five miles of the M6 in Warwickshire, and six hours working on two miles of the M1 in Leicestershire, with further work done on the M60 smart motorway at Manchester.

Besides helping drivers, it also has safety benefits for roadworkers and enables them to focus on completing other essential work on each project.

Julian Lamb, construction director on the A14 where the robot has been used, said:

“We’re always looking at innovative new ways of working, which can help road users, and make our projects more efficient while supporting improved engineering. With safety our top priority, the time savings the robot can provide, coupled with removing our operatives from a potentially hazardous situation, make it a great solution.

“We’ve also been working with a self-driving dumper truck on the project, completing trials of these new technologies to help Highways England more deliver its ambitious programme of roads improvement quickly, safely and efficiently. These technologies are also supporting new jobs, with the engineers of tomorrow needing to learn new skills such as programming this autonomous equipment.”

Ordinarily, pre-marking road markings is a time-consuming job, calculating the positioning of the markings and walking several miles to spray or chalk them on the road. By using the robot, road workers spend far less time in the road and are at less risk of an accident – around 250 drivers illegally drive into roadworks every month, putting workers’ lives at risk. Bending down to pre-mark roads by hand can also raise the risk of back injuries. The robot also boasts improved accuracy and can mark the road faster.

The robot has been so successful, specialist contractor WJ, who adopted the technology for it to complete the pre-marking, has now invested in a second one to help complete more of its work. By completing roadworks faster, the robot will help contribute to the goals of reducing congestion, improving journey times, and supporting economic growth, while cost savings can be used to provide more or better-quality road-building materials.

Wayne Johnston, WJ Group Managing Director, said:

“I am passionate about changing the way we work in this industry and the WJ Robotic PreMarker represents a real step change. However, it is just a starting point, we will continue to invest in research and development to find better, more efficient and safer ways of working.”

The 12-mile Huntingdon Southern Bypass, which makes up around two thirds of the A14 upgrade, opened a year early, in December. Work on the rest of the project, between Swavesey and Milton, continues and is on schedule to completed as planned by December 2020.

Highways Event Diary – January 2020

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Welcome to January’s Highway Events Diary which highlights all known events that will have an impact or take place upon the public highway. The diary features events across Cambridgeshire and you are able to sort and filter the diary to show events in your immediate area by using the down arrow in the title bar.

2020 Highlights

18th January, Whittlesey Straw Bear Procession. The annual festival returns for its 41st year, with a procession and other attractions to tempt visitors. Although the festival covers the weekend, road closures will be in place all day on the 18th, so please bear this in mind when planning your journey.

8th March, Cambridge Half Marathon. The popular running event returns, taking in the scenery of central Cambridge. Please note that the route has changed slightly this year. Road closures will be in place for the event, so please bear this in mind if you are planning on visiting Cambridge. *Please remember details of all highway events can be found on https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/travel-roads-and-parking/roads-and-pathways/highway-events/

Greater Cambridge Local Plan – The First Conversation

Greater Cambridge Local Plan: The First Conversation

Ever walked past a building and wondered how it got planning permission? Worried about climate change and how we are going to adapt? Trying to buy a house and finding it really difficult?

The Council’s Local Plan is the document that shapes our area’s future and answers these big questions. It covers the key themes of climate change, biodiversity and green spaces, wellbeing and social inclusion, and great places. It will affect what kind of new homes get built and where, where businesses can grow and how buildings, streets and spaces should be designed. As a result, the Local Plan affects all of us – yet most people have never even heard of it.

But things are changing and we want you to be a part of it.

For the first time ever, Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council are preparing a joint Local Plan for the Greater Cambridge area: and this time we want to do better than ever before at working with you all to make it happen.

We will be starting a big conversation with the community, with many different ways to get involved, online and offline, on Monday 13 January. Please look out for more information nearer the time, and get in touch at www.greatercambridgeplanning.org

Help shape our future together!

Works and events in and around Willingham 16th – 31st December 2019

Please find attached the roadworks bulletin, detailing works and events that are due to start between 16th – 31st  December 2019.

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Just a reminder that this only includes works that are due to start between 16th – 31st  December and longer term works that are still in progress will have been included on previous reports. Alternatively please refer to https://one.network/ which will include details on emergency roadworks.

Newsletter November 2019

New Councillors

Three casual vacancies arising from the resignations of previous councillors were filled at the November meeting. As there were more applicants than positions, there was a rather complicated voting procedure but eventually Kay Cook, Valerie McKee and Barry Todd were selected to join the council. Our thanks to all who volunteered and a warm welcome to the new councillors.

Northstowe Governance Review Drop-In

As the community at Northstowe grows, so South Cambridgeshire District Council is required to carry out a Governance Review to consider future governance arrangements. The Civic Affairs Committee has now commenced the Northstowe boundary review. A drop-in session has been arranged on Saturday 30 November, 11 am to 1 pm in the Ploughman Hall. Liz Davey, the Development Officer, and your District Councillors will be on hand to help residents understand the review process and timescale and to answer any questions you may have.

Christmas Tree

For the last two years the Christmas tree on the Green has been kindly donated by Mr A Coe. Unfortunately, this year the uncertainty over Brexit has meant that large trees are in short supply and Mr Coe has been unable to obtain one. We are aware how much villagers appreciate having a tree and the council decided to purchase one for installation on the Green this season which will be decorated once more with the new lights.

Orchard Dog Walking

A new fence has been installed alongside the B1050 to make the Community Orchard secure for dogs. We are investigating whether we can have a new dog bin installed by the Orchard but until then would ask dog owners to be considerate of others sharing the area when walking their animals. Flat Road bridle path is adjacent to the Orchard and provides over a kilometre of safe grassland where dogs can run, should more vigorous exercise be required.

Willingham Youth Trust

After the conversion of a storage area and unused upper floor of the Ploughman Hall into a Youth Centre, the Youth Trust took over the building and now runs an extremely successful Youth Club on Wednesday evenings open to all and free to children. This has been a tremendous effort by the Trustees and has been entirely self-funded for the last four years, but they now feel that to keep the sessions sustainable into the future, they need support from the Parish Council. We agreed that this is a worthwhile expenditure and will provide £6,000 for 2020/2021 for the Connections Bus Project staff. This and the lease would be reviewed annually.

BT Phone Box

The phone box on Station Road by the Willingham Wing bus stop has not been operational for some time and, even before it fell into disrepair, had only made a single call in over a year. Under a BT scheme, local authorities can adopt unwanted phone boxes and convert them for new uses. The Council had already decided to provide a third defibrillator for this area of the village and has now agreed to adopt the phone box, refurbish it and use it to house the defibrillator.

Bus Survey

We wrote to our MP (Lucy Frazer at the time) in response to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority’s strategic bus review. Ms Frazer has replied that the Authority has now commissioned a six week survey which can be accessed at www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/FutureBus/ or over the phone on 07377 001512 (9 am – 5 pm, Monday – Friday). ‘Have your say on our future public transport network. Tell us what matters to you about improving local bus services.’

Huntingdon Southern Bypass opens on Monday 9 December

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Huntingdon Southern Bypass opens on Monday 9 December, we will close the old A14 between Godmanchester and Spittals in both directions.

This is to allow us to start work on the removal of Huntingdon viaduct and to build new link roads in Huntingdon town centre.

During the closure, which will last until 2022, road users who would normally have used this section of road to access or leave Huntingdon will need to travel as follows instead (please see attached map for details):

  • To travel from Huntingdon towards Cambridge: Use the A141 (old A14) westbound to Spittals roundabout and continue to Brampton Hut. Access the A1 southbound then use the new A14 eastbound free flow link at Brampton interchange. Traffic wishing to access towns and villages along the A1307 (old A14) between Godmanchester and Swavesey can do so by exiting the new A14 at its A1198, Ermine Street junction (J23).
  • To travel from Cambridge towards Huntingdon: Travel westbound on the new A14 to Brampton Interchange. Use the free flow link to access the A1 northbound. Exit at Brampton Hut and travel east on the A141 (old A14) to Spittals roundabout and onwards to enter Huntingdon.

All roads into and out of Huntingdon will remain open, although there will be a requirement for some overnight closures to allow us to carry out work safely.

Once work is completed in 2022, the road between Spittals and Godmanchester will reopen with links into and out of Huntingdon instead of over the train station via a viaduct as it is currently. For more information about the work we are doing in Huntingdon, visit https://highwaysengland.co.uk/a14-cambridge-to-huntingdon-improvement-scheme-huntingdon/.

You can sign up for the latest information about the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme on our website at https://highwaysengland.co.uk/a14-cambridge-to-huntingdon-improvement-scheme-home, or by following @A14C2H on Twitter at http://twitter.com/A14C2H and liking the scheme Facebook page at www.facebook.com/A14C2H/.

Venues support drink drive crackdown

More than 45 pubs and venues across Cambridgeshire have signed up to support our campaign to crackdown on drink drivers this month.

As part of the campaign we’re promoting the ‘I’m DES’ scheme where participating venues give free draught soft drinks to designated drivers.

The initiative, led by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Road Safety Partnership (CPRSP), will aim to reduce the number of road traffic collisions caused by drink driving during the festive period.

A total of 46 venues have signed up to the scheme this year – more than triple the number of venues compared to last year.

To participate in the scheme, which runs throughout December, people need to let staff in participating venues know they are the designated driver and ask for an ‘I’m DES’ wristband from a member of staff.

Jon Morris, casualty reduction officer at Cambridgeshire Constabulary, said: “We’re pleased to see so many pubs and venues supporting the ‘I’m DES’ campaign this year.

“We would encourage people to take advantage of the scheme and help us make the roads of Cambridgeshire safer for everyone.

“Even a small amount of alcohol can affect your driving ability. We advise if you’re drinking, even if you have just one drink, arrange another way of getting home.”

Jon added that it takes a lot longer than most people think for alcohol to pass through the body and because of this, there is a real risk people who would not dream of driving after drinking may still be unknowingly over the limit the morning after.

He said: “This includes people going about their everyday activities such as driving to work, doing the school run, popping to the shops or going to see friends.

“Please do not gamble with your life and be aware of the danger you pose by getting behind the wheel while under the influence. It’s really not worth the risk.”

To enforce the campaign, officers across the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Road Policing Unit (RPU) will be conducting additional stop-checks throughout December to combat drink and drug drivers.

Ray Bisby, acting Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and chair of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Road Safety Partnership, said: “Christmas is a very important and busy time of year where we all get together to catch up and celebrate the festive season.

“We want to ensure people across the county are able to enjoy their festive celebrations safely and think about how they are getting home without putting themselves or others at risk.

“Be sure to choose a designated driver and, if you are that designated driver, let the bar staff know to claim a wristband and free draught soft drinks.

“These simple actions can help keep Cambridgeshire’s roads safe during the festive season.”

Officers are also urging members of the public to report drink or drug driving via the dedicated, confidential hotline.

The hotline: 0800 032 0845 is available 24/7, and gives people the chance to supply the police with information to help reduce the number of drink or drug drivers on our roads.

For more information about drink or drug driving, the law and the dangers it can cause, visit www.cambs.police.uk/drinkdrugdriving

A full list of participating venues is below:

Cambridge
• Ballare, Cambridge
• Hidden Rooms, Cambridge
• La Raza, Cambridge
• Tabouche, Cambridge
• Revolution, Cambridge
• Lola Lo, Cambridge
• The Anchor, Cambridge
• The Granta, Cambridge
• Fez Club, Cambridge
• Vinyl, Cambridge
• Novi, Cambridge
• Sir Isaac Newton, Cambridge
• The Alexandra Arms, Cambridge
• The Portland Arms, Cambridge

South Cambridgeshire
• The Hub Community Centre, Great Cambourne
• Willingham Social Club, Willingham
• The Chequers, Pampisford

East Cambridgeshire
• The Fox, Burwell
• The Shed, Lode
• The Beeches Community Centre, Isleham, Ely
• Habis Café Bar and Restaurant, Littleport
• Ely City Golf Club, Ely
• Ye Olde School Bell, Little Downham
• The Bell, Kennett, Newmarket

Huntingdonshire
• The Greystones, Sawtry, Huntingdon
• The Pig N Falcon, St Neots
• The Eltisley, Eltisley, St Neots
• The Axe and Compass, Hemingford Abbots, Huntingdon
• Samuel Pepys pub, Huntingdon
• The Lounge, St Ives
• Cromwells, Huntingdon

Fenland
• GER Sports Club, March
• The Angel Inn, Wisbech
• The King’s Head, Wisbech
• The Three Tuns, Wisbech
• The Red Lion, March
• The Ship Inn, March
• Cassanos, March

Peterborough
• The Admiral Wells, Peterborough
• The Solstice, Peterborough
• Embassy Flares Red Room, Peterborough
• Great Northern Hotel, Peterborough
• Samms, Peterborough
• Lightbox, Peterborough
• Brewery Tap, Peterborough
• Angels, Peterborough
Thank you,
Corporate Communications

A14 C 2 H Road Closures week commencing 2 December 2019

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There have been some changes to the planned closures for the coming weekend:

*Cancelled*

*Fri 29 9pm – Mon 1 5am*

  • A14 westbound Milton junction 33 entry slip

*Sat 30* 1 night

  • A1307 Huntingdon Road outbound and A14 westbound entry slip
  • A14 westbound between Six Mile Bottom junction 36 and Girton junction 31

*Additional*

*Fri 9pm – Sat 7pm & Sun 6am to Mon 5am*

  • Local access road between Bar Hill and Oakington roundabout

Traffic wishing to access Bar Hill and Longstanton from the westbound carriageway will need to travel to Swavesey and return on the eastbound carriageway.

Traffic wishing to access the A14 westbound from Dry Drayton and Oakington will need to travel on the local road past the Crematorium and use the new westbound entry slip.

Traffic wishing to access the A14 eastbound from Dry Drayton and Oakington will need to do the above and then access the A14 eastbound at Swavesey.

*Sat 30* 1 night

  • A14 eastbound St Ives junction 26 to Lolworth junction 28a
  • A14 westbound Swavesey junction 28 between exit and entry slips

December Highways Event Diary

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Welcome to December’s Highway Events Diary which highlights all known events that will have an impact or take place upon the public highway. The diary features events across Cambridgeshire and you are able to sort and filter the diary to show events in your immediate area by using the down arrow in the title bar.

December’s Highlights

7th, Mill Road Cambridge Winter Fair. The annual winter fair returns with a theme of ‘Nature’. Mill Road is transformed with stalls selling gifts, crafts and refreshments and offering entertainment throughout the day. Mill Road will be closed between 9am and 5.30pm so please bear this in mind if you are travelling to Cambridge.

Looking ahead to 2020

8th March, Cambridge Half Marathon. The popular running event returns, taking in the scenery of central Cambridge. Road closures will be in place for the event, so please bear this in mind if you are planning on visiting Cambridge.

3rd May, Sawston Fun Run returns following its best attended run last year. The 2020 Fun Run will be celebrating the VE Day anniversary, and will be raising money for charity. Road closures and restrictions will be in place throughout the event.

23rd & 24th May, Duxford Air Festival returns for the Battle of Britain. With the event being so popular, the routes around the event location will be busier than normal.

*Please remember details of all highway events can be found on https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/travel-roads-and-parking/roads-and-pathways/highway-events/