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

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

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/

A14 Bypass opens Monday 9 December

The new 12-mile bypass to the south of Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire – part of the UK’s biggest road upgrade – will open to traffic a full year ahead of schedule.

The new bypass will run between Ellington and Swavesey and is part of a £1.5 billion project to upgrade 21 miles of the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon.

Like any new road, it may take some time to get used to driving on it. Below is some essential information to help you drive safely and enjoy your new journey.

Know your road – what to expect

  • The enclosed map shows how you can join and leave the new bypass, and which junctions have been renumbered.
  • At junctions, it is not always possible to join or leave the new road in all directions. This is to help discourage long distance traffic from using smaller, unsuitable roads through local communities. More details are on the map.
  • All A14 junctions east of and including Girton, as well as the A1 junctions, will maintain their existing junction numbers.
  • Drivers travelling eastbound on the new bypass will still have to join a section of 40mph, narrow lanes roadworks from the Swavesey junction. Please look out for the signs as you approach.
  • Slow moving vehicles are prohibited from using the new bypass and will be directed to alternative local access roads.
  • Variable speed limits displayed on overhead gantries will help to reduce congestion and ensure safety. Please remember that a red roundel around a speed limit means it is mandatory.
  • As with any major road, please remember:

–  keep left unless overtaking

–  don’t drive under a Red X

–  stick within the speed limit

–  know what to do if you breakdown.

What happens next?

The upgraded section of the A1 between Alconbury and Buckden opened earlier this year, which means that the western section of the upgraded A14 is now complete.

Work on the rest of the project, between Swavesey and Milton, continues and is on schedule to completed as planned by December 2020. The work we are carrying out at Huntingdon including the removal of the old viaduct over the railway line, will complete after this.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and patience while we build your new A14. Please feel free to share this email with your work colleagues and relevant contacts more widely.

A14 C2H road Closures, week commencing 18th November 2019

Please note, there will be an extended closure of the A14 Bar Hill J29 eastbound entry slip this weekend. Once the main eastbound carriageway closure is removed, this slip road will remain closed until 12pm on both Saturday & Sunday. Access to the A14 eastbound will remain via the Dry Drayton J30 entry slip.There will also be a slow moving, abnormal load moving along the new local access road (between Oakington & Bar Hill) and around the ‘jug handle’ to the south side of Bar Hill junction between 00:01 & 03:00 on Sunday 17th. Please be aware should you be travelling along this section, as you may experience some delay

A14 Bypass Opening Date

A14 bypass opening date revealedNOVEMBER 5, 2019

New bypass in Cambridgeshire

A 12-mile bypass to the south of Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire – part of the UK’s biggest road upgrade – will open to traffic on Monday 9 December.

The new bypass will run between Ellington and Swavesey and is part of a £1.5 billion project to upgrade 21 miles of the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon.

Last month, the Government announced that the bypass would open to traffic in December, a full year ahead of schedule. Now Highways England is setting out how the road layout will change, and what drivers can expect on the new road.

Highways England project director David Bray said:

“Opening the Huntingdon Southern Bypass is a huge achievement in the delivery of this major road upgrade and I’d like to thank road users, residents and stakeholders for their patience and support during construction. Opening the new bypass will start to unlock many of the project’s benefits and, together with the upgraded section of the A1 between Alconbury and Buckden which opened earlier this year, means that the western section of the transformed A14 is essentially complete. Like any new road, it will take some time for drivers to get used to driving on it, especially when the junctions have a new layout, and some have been renumbered. Please drive safely and enjoy the new road.”

From 9 December, when the new bypass opens to traffic, drivers travelling eastbound on the new bypass will still have to join a section of 40mph narrow lanes roadworks from the Swavesey junction, so should look out for the signs when they approach the area.

The new A14 was designed with safety as the number one priority and its design is simple and intuitive. Variable mandatory speed limits will help to manage traffic to reduce congestion and ensure safety. As with any major road, the main things to remember are to keep left unless overtaking, not to drive under a Red X, stick within the speed limit and know what to do if you breakdown. A red roundel around a speed limit mean it is mandatory.

Slow moving vehicles will be prohibited from the new bypass and will be directed to use alternative local access roads. Each junction has specific possible vehicle movements and it is not always possible to join or leave the new road in all directions, to ensure that A14 traffic uses the most appropriate junction for its destination, avoiding smaller roads through local communities.

The junction numbers on the A14 between Ellington and Bar Hill will change when the bypass opens, as there will be fewer junctions than on the old A14. New A14 junction numbers will be as follows:

  • • New Ellington, junction 21
  • • Brampton interchange, junction 22
  • • Godmanchester and A1198, junction 23
  • • Swavesey, junction 24
  • • Bar Hill, junction 25

All A14 junctions east of and including Girton, as well as the A1 junctions, will maintain their existing junction numbers.

You can view a map of the new bypass here.

Work on the rest of the project, between Swavesey and Milton, continues and is on schedule to completed as planned by December 2020.

Bar Hill Junction Switch

On Thursday 7 November, the second of the new bridges will open, meaning the new roundabout at Bar Hill will be fully operational.

From 5am on Monday 11 November, the following changes will be in place:

  • The local road between Bar Hill and Oakington will become two-way
  • A14 westbound entry slip at Dry Drayton (junction 30) closes
  • A14 westbound exit slip at Bar Hill (junction 29) closes, until January 2020
  • A14 eastbound entry slip at Oakington (junction 30) closes
  • A14 eastbound entry slip at Bar Hill (junction 29) will open from new roundabout

Further information from Highways is available below.

Highways Events in and around Willingham – November 2019

November’s Highlights:

Welcome to November’s Highway Events Diary which highlights all known events that will have an impact or take place upon the public highway.

2nd & 5th: Multiple firework displays are planned to take place across the County on the first weekend in November, as well as on the 5th November itself. Road closures will be in place for the events in Cambridge and Sawston, and temporary traffic lights will be in place for Kimbolton and Godmanchester so please bear this in mind when planning your journey.

10th: Remembrance parades and services will be taking place across the County so please expect road closures to be in place throughout the day.

Towards the end of November, a lot of towns and villages will be holding their Christmas lights switch-on events. These will normally include road closures along with other traffic restrictions. Please review the events diary for exact details of locations and restrictions.

*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/