I’ve written to East Cambridgeshire district council’s planning department as the county councillor for Witchford to support Witchford Parish Council’s objection to planning application 19/01704/FUL for the changes to the roundabout at Lancaster Way. The roundabout is not in my county division, but Witchford is—a great many Witchford residents use it, and the proposed changes will affect them.

The proposed scheme has been drawn up with only motor vehicles in mind, and with no serious consideration for pedestrians and cyclists whose use of the roundabout it will make more dangerous by reducing verge space for active travel, and increasing the number of lanes walkers and cyclists will have to cross.

Skanska’s assessment of the scheme is poor: it gives scant space to assessing the needs of pedestrians and cyclists, and even then only considers pedestrian and cyclist flows west-east to Ely and the railway station. There’s no reference to crossing the A142 north-south in any kind of safety at or near the roundabout. And it doesn’t mention equestrians at all—there are a large number of horses south of the A142 near the roundabout.

The proposed scheme breaches the emerging Combined Authority Local Transport Plan, and in particular its user hierarchy. S2.17 (P68 of the draft Plan) says: “This Local Transport Plan privileges the ‘active modes’ over other forms of transport, as we believe that their benefits align closely with our three goals of Economy, Equity and Environment”. There is no evidence that the proposal for the roundabout aligns with this strategy or ‘privileges’ active travel in any way at all.

The proposed scheme also breaches the district council’s Local Plan policy COM7 which states (P104) that “Development should be designed to reduce the need to travel, particularly by car, and should promote sustainable forms of transport appropriate to its particular location. Opportunities should be maximised for increased permeability and connectivity to existing networks.” This application will promote car travel to the detriment of sustainable alternatives, and reduce still further any remaining connectivity north-south across the A142.

Both East Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council have declared a climate emergency, and this application does nothing to address climate concerns—indeed it promotes the interests of motorised transport and makes sustainable active travel less safe.

Congestion on the A142 at Lancaster Way is a daily occurrence, particularly at peak times, and of course this needs to be addressed. However, the specific proposal on offer fails to consider the needs and safety of pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians. The application as it stands should be refused and the applicant asked to return with a scheme which takes these concerns seriously.