Letter to Andrew Landsley about A428 improvement

Sunday, 23 January 2005

Dear Mr Lansley, I write on behalf of the Hardwick Parish Council to thank you for your copy of letter to Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP of 20th January 2005. The planned A428 upgrade is a vital link in the Eastern Region linking the A1 to the A14/M11. This road suffers daily congestion and serious accidents because this single carriageway stretch of road was never designed to carry the enormous traffic burden it suffers today. Indeed the accident statistics speak for themselves. The chart provided by the Highways Agency follows: A428 Accident data between 01 October 2001 and 30 September 2004 |Severity |\4Year of accident| ||From Oct 2001 |2002 |2003 |To Sept 2004| |Fatal |0 |2 |1 |1| |Serious |1 |9 |12 |4| Sadly since Sept 2004 there have been another two fatal accidents (not included) and the serious ones are as yet unknown (the last quarter figures will be published in March 2005). The last fatality on the A428 at Hardwick was four weeks ago when a motorcyclist died at the point where the road slims from dual to single carriageway. The congestion on all roads approaching Cambridge from the West is now acute, each and every workday this section of the Eastern region is grinding to a halt. This is discouraging new businesses to come to the area and existing office space now remains empty. Additional new towns and villages are coming on line as this region strives to fulfil the Governments planned economic and social potential. In return this government needs to authorise the infrastructure improvements that are desperately required to enable this growth and potential to be sustainable. As soon as you receive this information from Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP, please do confirm the immediate authorisation for this A428 scheme that is believed by all in this region to be started in March 2006. In addition please influence the process for the required improvements to the Cambridgeshire A14 without delay. Please note that it is not an option to reschedule the A428 upgrade to March 2008 as is now suggested. Either the A428 or the A14 has to be used to travel in this area. It is not possible to close both roads simultaneously whilst improvements are made. This is why it is vital that the A428 work starts in March 2006. You will be aware that many of the costs of the A428 work including the purchase of all necessary lands and full consultation have already been incurred. If you require any further information please do not hesitate to call. Yours sincerely Lynne Howells Hardwick Parish Clerk cc Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP

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