A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventually?

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roadtester
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A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventually?

Post by roadtester »

Yesterday's ITV Anglia News said in a rather confused report that the government was looking at this again, with a report likely from DoT in the middle of next year.

There still wouldn't be any cash to do anything before 2015 at the earliest, and remarks from local MP Matthew Hancock implied that it probably wouldn't be the "fully Monty" £1.3 billion scheme as previously proposed.
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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by Haydn1971 »

roadtester wrote:it probably wouldn't be the "fully Monty" £1.3 billion scheme as previously proposed.
Typical spin, the previous scheme was a half baked D3AP scheme IIRC.

I was looking at some DfT figures yesterday, the whole corridor from M25 J3 > M1 > M6 to Preston has quite possibly the highest level of HGV's over a long route, the M25 around Heathrow, M1 J28-32 and M62 around Leeds has similar levels. These routes therefore are key to our nations economic well being.

Forget the half baked vote winning schemes, its high time we looked at a long term 25-50 year plan for motorways and major roads, considering my previous parapgraph high on my list would be to extend the M11 along the A14 corridor to the M6 as relief to the M25/M1, widen the M6 to the M6T to D4M, buy back the M6T and remove the tolls and push head with D4M on the M6 & M62 route sections that are still D3M

We need to plan for new motorway routes, Leeds-Lancaster (M63?), another crossing just downstream of Dartford (tunnel preferably to provide full M25 circuit, revert existing tunnels to local access with emergency alternative routing for bridge), Thapston-Oxford-Southampton (M34/43 don't care), Thorne-Barnsley-Manchester (M180 Extension), Stamford-Derby-Stoke (M64), Peterborough-Pontefract (A1 upgrade), Newcastle Bypass (A1 upgrade to motorway - east of Newcastle, leaving western bypass)

We also need to plan for major upgrades to the key primary network, in my view, the primary destinations need rationalising, we could drop half, perhaps even two thirds with a view to upgrading the poor links between the remaining economic centres, these routes would then be brought under the Highways Agency (for routes in England) and would be about improving point to point times between sub-regions, for example, A27-A259, A35, A303, A38/A30, A419, A49, A12, A11, A47, A46, A17, A64, A66, A69, A75, A77, A702, A1 (north of Morpeth), A68, A82, A9 etc etc etc
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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by Johnathan404 »

Haydn1971 wrote:...for example, A27-A259...
The local media has given the Chichester Bypass quite a bit of attention over the past year as it is one of few remaining projects caught up in the spending cuts. The current focus is very much on getting the Highways Agency and key ministers to accept that a couple of traffic lights isn't going to do the job, and the current attitude of the Highways Agency seems to be that various bottlenecks along the route should be removed completely, but they refuse to commit to doing anything about it. So we're half way there!
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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by roadtester »

Haydn1971 wrote:
roadtester wrote:it probably wouldn't be the "fully Monty" £1.3 billion scheme as previously proposed.
Typical spin, the previous scheme was a half baked D3AP scheme IIRC.
"Full Monty" was my paraphrasing/shorthand - should at the very least have been motorway, of course; it's only in comparison with the miserable update that's likely to be built eventually that the previous scheme will deserve that generous description.
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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by Truvelo »

Either build the full monty or nothing at all. The worst possible outcome is a heavily cut down scheme which will be overloaded with traffic from day one and will cost a fortune to put right so the £1.3bn scheme will end up being better value long term. Alternatively, if only part of the money is available then build it in stages to the full monty plan which will allow the rest to be added later when funds become available.
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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by Birchington »

For the time being, I think the most viable scheme to alleviate the A14 corridor would be to dual and GSJ the relatively short section of the A428 between Caxton Gibbet and St. Neots whilst money is scarce. Hopefully an economic recovery and a deficit reduction will see the A14 scheme back on the cards properly.
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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by jmbillings »

An upgrade to the A428 would help, especially now the A1>M1 link past Bedford is sorted. Would provide another route for traffic heading west.
I often head home on a Friday by going along there then up thru' Kimbolton, just to avoid the A14, it's that bad.
Just this week a lorry fell over and nearly wiped out a petrol station.
The trick is like the M25 could do with - split long distance from local traffic. Build a parallel DC that goes from the section around the north of Cambridge up to the bit where it splits off at Spitals, with NO other junctions (well, maybe one for the services). Leave the current road as it is.
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A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventually?

Post by Haydn1971 »

Truvelo wrote:Alternatively, if only part of the money is available then build it in stages to the full monty plan which will allow the rest to be added later when funds become available.
I'm not convinced the previous D3AP scheme was enough, the scheme could be split into the offline upgrade of the A14, then the A14-A1-A14 section, which at a push could be trimmed a tad, but fundamentally, the route needs to be D3M at very least
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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by jackal »

Haydn1971 wrote:
Truvelo wrote:Alternatively, if only part of the money is available then build it in stages to the full monty plan which will allow the rest to be added later when funds become available.
I'm not convinced the previous D3AP scheme was enough, the scheme could be split into the offline upgrade of the A14, then the A14-A1-A14 section, which at a push could be trimmed a tad, but fundamentally, the route needs to be D3M at very least
Fully grade separated D3 nowhere near a town is, roughly, a doubling of capacity for strategic traffic, compared to the current partially grade-separated D2 with loads of local Huntingdon traffic. It's not realistic to expect more in this case.

I agree with Truvelo that it might be a good idea to build the previous scheme in stages. A possible order:

1. Offline bit of A14, as Haydn says, but minus junction with A1.
2. (Optional) If it saves money, take down Huntingdon viaduct; build new A1/A14 junction and widen A1 from there up to old A1/A14 junction.
3. Widen online to D3 between Fen Drayton (where offline bit joins) and Bar Hill (where the current D3 starts).
4. Build new direct connector at Girton.
5. Widen Bar Hill to Girton to D4+S2/D3+D2.
6. Put in LAR between Fen Drayton and Bar Hill.
7. Widen Cambridge Bypass to D3/D4.
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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by Derek »

I thought the Huntingdon viaduct had to go because because of structural issues?

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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by Truvelo »

Derek wrote:I thought the Huntingdon viaduct had to go because because of structural issues?
It has which is why it would be best to build the section that replaces it first. However I would build the junction with the A1 otherwise traffic between Cambridge and Peterborough would have to go through Huntingdon.
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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by Derek »

Truvelo wrote:
Derek wrote:I thought the Huntingdon viaduct had to go because because of structural issues?
It has which is why it would be best to build the section that replaces it first. However I would build the junction with the A1 otherwise traffic between Cambridge and Peterborough would have to go through Huntingdon.
Which sort of means there isn't much choice about building the new road, doesn't it? It has to be done, either that or a major route will be closed?

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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by jmbillings »

Yeah, I did sort of wonder about this... as someone who comes from Peterborough way to Cambridge every day, there aren't any other ways around it apart from going through Huntingdon... or down the A1 to St Neots and along the '428...!
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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by Runwell »

Knowing this government though, you can bet they'll let it drag on and on and on, while the viaduct gets worse...
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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by jmbillings »

I've just seen the news today about the consultation on the London - Birmingham railway line. Seems madness that they can't afford the money for the A14 (was it 1.3bn?) when this railway is apparently going to cost 33bn! As I've seen other people point out, the railway is only of use if you happen to live within a reasonable distance of the station (and can afford to park there), to everyone else it's pointless...
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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by jackal »

Derek: The reason I had the viaduct removal marked as optional was that there is presumably some sort of alternative, given that the bypass is off the agenda now. Presumably there will be some sort of catastrophic and highly cost ineffective online sticking plaster approach, with an overloaded D2 temporarily reduced to S2.

Truvelo: the reason for not building the A1 junction immediately was to prevent the D2 A1 from being overloaded: A14-A1 traffic is better served by using the existing route. However, that plan only works if the Huntingdon viaduct is not removed, so the previous plan was in error. In other words, there are two options:

REMOVE VIADUCT
1. Build offline bit of A14 including new A1/A14 junction and widen A1 from there up to old A1/A14 junction.
2. Take down Huntingdon viaduct.
3. Widen online to D3 between Fen Drayton (where offline bit joins) and Bar Hill (where the current D3 starts).
4. Build new direct connector at Girton.
5. Widen Bar Hill to Girton to D4+S2/D3+D2.
6. Put in LAR between Fen Drayton and Bar Hill.
7. Widen Cambridge Bypass to D3/D4.

KEEP VIADUCT
1. Build offline bit of A14 excluding new A1/A14 junction
2. Widen online to D3 between Fen Drayton (where offline bit joins) and Bar Hill (where the current D3 starts).
3. Build new direct connector at Girton.
4. Widen Bar Hill to Girton to D4+S2/D3+D2.
5. Put in LAR between Fen Drayton and Bar Hill.
6. Widen Cambridge Bypass to D3/D4.
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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by Bryn666 »

The replacement Wolvercote Viaduct on the A34 shows you can do these huge repairs whilst retaining D2, so it'd be painful but not catastrophic to replace it. This should be done anyway was I think removing the Huntingdon Bypass altogether will screw over the town in the long-run as the new road will be too far away too attract traffic from the town.

My own view on this is the HA should finish the A428 dualling, and split A1 North and A1 South traffic. Furthermore, by improving the full A428 corridor (this requires widening the A1/A428 multiplex to D3, and GSJing Black Cat), you've just created a brand new A1-M1 link to shadow the existing A14.

These are relatively low cost fixes that provide medium-term capacity whilst a full M11 extension to Alconbury is designed. :pig:
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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by jackal »

Bryn666 wrote:My own view on this is the HA should finish the A428 dualling, and split A1 North and A1 South traffic. Furthermore, by improving the full A428 corridor (this requires widening the A1/A428 multiplex to D3, and GSJing Black Cat), you've just created a brand new A1-M1 link to shadow the existing A14.
Can you name any major journeys that would shift from A14 to A421/A428 if only they did the upgrades you mention? I can't think of any.

In my view, upgrading the A421/A428 would take away a negligible amount of the A14 traffic between the A1 and M11, so I don't think it's any alternative to upgrading the A14.
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Re: A14 Ellington Fen Ditton back on, in some form, eventual

Post by Steven »

Bryn666 wrote:These are relatively low cost fixes that provide medium-term capacity whilst a full M11 extension to Alconbury is designed. :pig:
Given that the A14(M) extension to Girton was in the preparation pool in the early 1990s, I would imagine that most design work was done then.
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