A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

[crb11]

The problem is mainly going to be for the villages N of Cambridge, e.g. along the B1050, which don't have good access to the A428 either. The most plausible route to me seems to go up to Brampton Hut and do a U turn there, which isn't much worse than the current position.

[6637]

The problem is mainly going to be for the villages N of Cambridge, e.g. along the B1050, which don't have good access to the A428 either. The most plausible route to me seems to go up to Brampton Hut and do a U turn there, which isn't much worse than the current position.

Depending on exactly which villages we're talking about, other plausible options would be:

B1050, the minor road from Bar Hill to A428, A428.
Old A14 to Huntingdon, B1514 to Brampton Interchange.
A1123, A141.

[Bryn666]

This is true but once you improve the junctions, especially in urban areas, you need to find somewhere for the traffic to go.

In urban areas that should be a suitable parking area which allows you to continue your journey by other modes; you know my views on city centres and essential traffic only

In fact they used to say most urban congestion was caused by traffic looking for somewhere to park.

[darkcape]

The problem is mainly going to be for the villages N of Cambridge, e.g. along the B1050, which don't have good access to the A428 either. The most plausible route to me seems to go up to Brampton Hut and do a U turn there, which isn't much worse than the current position.

Depending on exactly which villages we're talking about, other plausible options would be:

B1050, the minor road from Bar Hill to A428, A428.
Old A14 to Huntingdon, B1514 to Brampton Interchange.
A1123, A141.

There's no minor road out of Bar Hill, the A14 is the only way in and out. The route would be along the LAR to Dry Drayton, then Dry Drayton to Hardwick. I imagine traffic using this route would be sufficiently low.

[6637]

The problem is mainly going to be for the villages N of Cambridge, e.g. along the B1050, which don't have good access to the A428 either. The most plausible route to me seems to go up to Brampton Hut and do a U turn there, which isn't much worse than the current position.

Depending on exactly which villages we're talking about, other plausible options would be:

B1050, the minor road from Bar Hill to A428, A428.
Old A14 to Huntingdon, B1514 to Brampton Interchange.
A1123, A141.

There's no minor road out of Bar Hill, the A14 is the only way in and out. The route would be along the LAR to Dry Drayton, then Dry Drayton to Hardwick. I imagine traffic using this route would be sufficiently low.

Yes, that's what I meant– apologies for being unclear. I imagine that route might be quicker following the upgrade of the A428.

Your comment does raise the question of why there's no minor road out of Bar Hill, though. I imagine it would be convenient to have a road linking Bar Hill perimeter road with Scotland Road south of Dry Drayton, thereby bypassing Dry Drayton itself. Could be an extension of the B1050.

[darkcape]

There's no minor road out of Bar Hill, the A14 is the only way in and out. The route would be along the LAR to Dry Drayton, then Dry Drayton to Hardwick. I imagine traffic using this route would be sufficiently low.

Yes, that's what I meant– apologies for being unclear. I imagine that route might be quicker following the upgrade of the A428.

Your comment does raise the question of why there's no minor road out of Bar Hill, though. I imagine it would be convenient to have a road linking Bar Hill perimeter road with Scotland Road south of Dry Drayton, thereby bypassing Dry Drayton itself. Could be an extension of the B1050.

It looks like there used to be, from Dry Drayton High St and probably became what is now the B1050 to Longstanton. But it got cut off by the Bar Hill development. Whoever thought that was a good idea should change jobs- maybe rat-running fears through Dry Drayton?

Currently if the A14 is bad the residents of Bar Hill are effectively trapped. When the LAR is built it will ease the situation slightly.

[KeithW]

Yes, that's what I meant– apologies for being unclear. I imagine that route might be quicker following the upgrade of the A428.

Your comment does raise the question of why there's no minor road out of Bar Hill, though. I imagine it would be convenient to have a road linking Bar Hill perimeter road with Scotland Road south of Dry Drayton, thereby bypassing Dry Drayton itself. Could be an extension of the B1050.

Providing such a road would be the responsibility of the county council not Highways England and given that they chose to turn the unclassified road from Bar Hill Farm into a cycleway I would suggest that this is something they find undesirable. There is of course currently the B1050 out of Bar Hill to Longstanton that goes over the existing A14. I understand that this is closed at present as part of the construction effort but that its planned to be reinstated. The minor road from Longstanton to Oakington has been restricted to access only which was also a decision taken by Cambridge County Council to discourage rat running.

[darkcape]

There is of course currently the B1050 out of Bar Hill to Longstanton that goes over the existing A14. I understand that this is closed at present as part of the construction effort but that its planned to be reinstated.

Nope, very much running live and will be throughout the works apart from occasional overnight and weekend closures.

[KeithW]

It looks like there used to be, from Dry Drayton High St and probably became what is now the B1050 to Longstanton. But it got cut off by the Bar Hill development. Whoever thought that was a good idea should change jobs- maybe rat-running fears through Dry Drayton?

Currently if the A14 is bad the residents of Bar Hill are effectively trapped. When the LAR is built it will ease the situation slightly.

There never was much of a road to Dry Drayton , it was basically a track from Bar Hill Farm. As I recall prior to the Bar Hill development the link to the old A604 was an unsurfaced track and of course prior to the M11 being opened the B1050 terminated at Girton College on what is now the A1307 Huntingdon Road. Rat running is indeed a concern which is why a TRO was applied to stop motorists using Longstanton Road to Oakington. The LAR will improve things significantly IMHO. I look forward to eventually driving the new road as I first drove to Cambridge in my trusty Hillman Imp via the A1 to Alconbury and A14 to Huntingdon before picking up the A604 back in 1972. Bar Hill was still in the relatively early stages of development at this stage being basically a classic 1960's new town. If access is poor (and it is) the finger should be pointed at the county council who built a new town with no real provision for traffic infrastructure.

The 1977 OS map is interesting I think.
https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/538803 ... /12/100954

[roadtester]

It looks like there used to be, from Dry Drayton High St and probably became what is now the B1050 to Longstanton. But it got cut off by the Bar Hill development. Whoever thought that was a good idea should change jobs- maybe rat-running fears through Dry Drayton?

Currently if the A14 is bad the residents of Bar Hill are effectively trapped. When the LAR is built it will ease the situation slightly.

There never was much of a road to Dry Drayton , it was basically a track from Bar Hill Farm. As I recall prior to the Bar Hill development the link to the old A604 was an unsurfaced track and of course prior to the M11 being opened the B1050 terminated at Girton College on what is now the A1307 Huntingdon Road. Rat running is indeed a concern which is why a TRO was applied to stop motorists using Longstanton Road to Oakington. The LAR will improve things significantly IMHO. I look forward to eventually driving the new road as I first drove to Cambridge in my trusty Hillman Imp via the A1 to Alconbury and A14 to Huntingdon before picking up the A604 back in 1972. Bar Hill was still in the relatively early stages of development at this stage being basically a classic 1960's new town. If access is poor (and it is) the finger should be pointed at the county council who built a new town with no real provision for traffic infrastructure.

The 1977 OS map is interesting I think.
https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/538803 ... /12/100954

Really interesting. I've lived in Cambs for nineteen years now and I've always quite often called in at Barr Hill to go to Tesco. For years, it had never occurred to me that you can only really get in and out via the A14 until someone mentioned it on here. It is scarcely believable that anyone ever thought that would be a good idea, although I think the rat-running point does have a great deal of force.

[c2R]

The 1977 OS map is interesting I think.
https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/538803 ... /12/100954

Really interesting. I've lived in Cambs for nineteen years now and I've always quite often called in at Barr Hill to go to Tesco. For years, it had never occurred to me that you can only really get in and out via the A14 until someone mentioned it on here. It is scarcely believable that anyone ever thought that would be a good idea, although I think the rat-running point does have a great deal of force.

The map sort of explains it - even though there were I'm sure plans for the road network that was to follow, when construction on Bar Hill started, it was next to the A604 which certainly appears a lot less important than after the M11 and Cambridge northern bypass were plugged into it; and again, after the channel tunnel opened, and furthermore after the A14 (A1/M1 link) section was finished, leaving a section of road full of strategic north/south and east/west freight.

With each successive upgrade to the surrounding network, the single access point has become less and less appropriate.

[KeithW]

Nope, very much running live and will be throughout the works apart from occasional overnight and weekend closures.

That's good to know, it was closed when drove through about month ago but it was a weekend.

[Taz Trooper]

As of Friday the Trinity Foot pub was being demolished. A landmark gone, but it must have been empty for over 10 years, and sits in the way of the new D2-D3 junction.

[Berk]

As of Friday the Trinity Foot pub was being demolished. A landmark gone, but it must have been empty for over 10 years, and sits in the way of the new D2-D3 junction.

Believe it or not, I’d totally forgotten of the pub’s existence. Though maybe not that surprising - it’s been quite a few years since I was a regulars traveller along there.

[jackal]

New flythrough video on YouTube. Lots of "emergency sliproads" it seems.

Frustrating to see all the land take and earthworks for these slips that will rarely even be open, while the LAR/B1050 junction is a silly signalized pseudo-GSJ just missing the extra connection to make it a proper one (see here).

[Berk]

How much would it cost to put that right??

[Alderpoint]

First stretch of road in A14 scheme finished.

[Taz Trooper]

How much would it cost to put that right??

The new layout is here:

[Jeni]

How much would it cost to put that right??

The new layout is here:

Bar hill.jpg

And what would the benefit of fully GSJing it be?

[wrinkly]

First stretch of road in A14 scheme finished.

Having looked around the scheme less than two weeks ago, I'm unclear what section is supposed to be finished. It seems unlikely to be the whole of the new A1 west of the present A1 (even if you exclude the tie-ins at each end) because there's still a road embankment crossing it (or was 11 days ago) carrying the minor road to Grafham.