A428 Black Cat - Caxton Gibbet improvement

[fridayy]

they’ve started work at the black cat over the past few weeks. I assume they’re getting the terrain ready for when they get planning permission.

[KeithW]

The Development Consent Order has been through its examination phase and has been passed on for consent. THis is expected to be received in late summer and archaeological and ecological surveys are now under way.

The facebook page is here.
https://www.facebook.com/A428BlackCat/

The archaeology is covered here.
https://www.mola.org.uk/highways-past

[camflyer]

Approval granted today

https://infrastructure.planninginspecto ... nt-scheme/

One of Shapps last actions as Sec of State?

[Big L]

Approval granted today

https://infrastructure.planninginspecto ... nt-scheme/

One of Shapps last actions as Sec of State?

He seemed to escape ABdPJ's purge of anyone even vaguely competent. If Liz Truss wants to purge anyone brighter than she is there shouldn't be many ministers left.

[camflyer]

Approval granted today

https://infrastructure.planninginspecto ... nt-scheme/

One of Shapps last actions as Sec of State?

He seemed to escape ABdPJ's purge of anyone even vaguely competent. If Liz Truss wants to purge anyone brighter than she is there shouldn't be many ministers left.

He has survived so long in government (I think the only one ever present since 2010) as he's always willing to change his view on anything to please his boss and keep his job. Truss may keep him but will probably move him as she rearranges the deckchairs.

Anyway, good to see some progress with this scheme. As a regular traveller between Cambridge and Milton Keynes it is going to be a big help and mean the entire route will be dual carriageway. Just a shame that the MK-Oxford upgrade has been scrapped.

[fras]

Approval granted today

https://infrastructure.planninginspecto ... nt-scheme/

One of Shapps last actions as Sec of State?

He seemed to escape ABdPJ's purge of anyone even vaguely competent. If Liz Truss wants to purge anyone brighter than she is there shouldn't be many ministers left.

Probably the worst Transport Secretary ever, although Tom Fraser in the Labour government of 1964 must run him close !
Alistair Darling was also pretty useless as well

[chaseracer]

Approval granted today

https://infrastructure.planninginspecto ... nt-scheme/

One of Shapps last actions as Sec of State?

He seemed to escape ABdPJ's purge of anyone even vaguely competent. If Liz Truss wants to purge anyone brighter than she is there shouldn't be many ministers left.

Probably the worst Transport Secretary ever, although Tom Fraser in the Labour government of 1964 must run him close !
Alistair Darling was also pretty useless as well

Ernie Marples got a lot done, but his impartiality was... debatable...

[c2R]

DCO hit legislation.gov.uk today: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/202 ... 934_en.pdf
This confirms road numbering of A1428 and B1428 to be assigned to the bypassed sections.


Also to note that s.13(11-14) are interesting

(11) Subject to paragraph (12) the undertaker may vary the classification of the roads, or any
part of those roads, provided for in paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) and such variation may provide for
any trunk road comprised in the authorised development and referred to in paragraph (1) to be
classified as a special road.
(12) The undertaker must not exercise the powers conferred by paragraph (11) unless the
undertaker has—
(a) given not less than four weeks’ notice in writing of the undertaker’s intention to do so to
the chief officer of police and to the relevant local highway authority in whose area the
road is situated; and
(b) published a notice, declaring the date on which that road or part of it is to be classified,
not less than seven days before that date, in at least one local newspaper circulating in the
area in which the road or, as the case may be, the relevant part of it is situated and in the
London Gazette.
(13) Before exercising the powers conferred by paragraph (11) the undertaker must consult such
persons as the undertaker considers necessary and appropriate and must take into consideration
any representations made to the undertaker by any such person.
(14) Any roads classified as a special road in accordance with paragraph (11) are, on and from
the date on which they are so classified, to be—
(a) classified as special roads for the purpose of any enactment or instrument which refers to
highways classified as special roads; and
(b) provided for the use of traffic of Classes I and II(a) of the classes of traffic set out in
Schedule 4 (classes of traffic for purposes of special roads) to the 1980 Act

[Chris56000]

(11) Subject to paragraph (12) the undertaker may vary the classification of the roads, or any
part of those roads, provided for in paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) and such variation may provide for
any trunk road comprised in the authorised development and referred to in paragraph (1) to be
classified as a special road.
(12) The undertaker must not exercise the powers conferred by paragraph (11) unless the
undertaker has—
(a) given not less than four weeks’ notice in writing of the undertaker’s intention to do so to
the chief officer of police and to the relevant local highway authority in whose area the
road is situated; and
(b) published a notice, declaring the date on which that road or part of it is to be classified,
not less than seven days before that date, in at least one local newspaper circulating in the
area in which the road or, as the case may be, the relevant part of it is situated and in the
London Gazette.
(13) Before exercising the powers conferred by paragraph (11) the undertaker must consult such
persons as the undertaker considers necessary and appropriate and must take into consideration
any representations made to the undertaker by any such person.
(14) Any roads classified as a special road in accordance with paragraph (11) are, on and from
the date on which they are so classified, to be—
(a) classified as special roads for the purpose of any enactment or instrument which refers to
highways classified as special roads; and
(b) provided for the use of traffic of Classes I and II(a) of the classes of traffic set out in
Schedule 4 (classes of traffic for purposes of special roads) to the 1980 Act

It only provides the legal provision for a Special Road Order to be applied to the scheme – reading the rest of the D.C.O. as it stands at the moment, the only restrictions planned to be provided on the scheme is a "clearway" order and the 60/70 mph speed limits – unlike the DCO for the A30 Carland X – Chiverton X scheme, no N.M.U. prohibitions are mentioned in the order!

Chris Williams

[c2R]

(11) Subject to paragraph (12) the undertaker may vary the classification of the roads, or any
part of those roads, provided for in paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) and such variation may provide for
any trunk road comprised in the authorised development and referred to in paragraph (1) to be
classified as a special road.
(12) The undertaker must not exercise the powers conferred by paragraph (11) unless the
undertaker has—
(a) given not less than four weeks’ notice in writing of the undertaker’s intention to do so to
the chief officer of police and to the relevant local highway authority in whose area the
road is situated; and
(b) published a notice, declaring the date on which that road or part of it is to be classified,
not less than seven days before that date, in at least one local newspaper circulating in the
area in which the road or, as the case may be, the relevant part of it is situated and in the
London Gazette.
(13) Before exercising the powers conferred by paragraph (11) the undertaker must consult such
persons as the undertaker considers necessary and appropriate and must take into consideration
any representations made to the undertaker by any such person.
(14) Any roads classified as a special road in accordance with paragraph (11) are, on and from
the date on which they are so classified, to be—
(a) classified as special roads for the purpose of any enactment or instrument which refers to
highways classified as special roads; and
(b) provided for the use of traffic of Classes I and II(a) of the classes of traffic set out in
Schedule 4 (classes of traffic for purposes of special roads) to the 1980 Act

It only provides the legal provision for a Special Road Order to be applied to the scheme – reading the rest of the D.C.O. as it stands at the moment, the only restrictions planned to be provided on the scheme is a "clearway" order and the 60/70 mph speed limits – unlike the DCO for the A30 Carland X – Chiverton X scheme, no N.M.U. prohibitions are mentioned in the order!

Chris Williams

Yes, indeed, but an interesting addition nevertheless. I'd hope that NMU prohibitions will end up being applied, as this effectively provides an alternative route for the entire length of the existing improved section of the A428.

[fras]

I see the Times has the Development Consent Order published in it today

[roadphotos]

A legal challenge has now been lodged against this scheme by climate campaign group Transport Action Network

[KeithW]

A legal challenge has now been lodged against this scheme by climate campaign group Transport Action Network

Much much too late.

[Jon Waters]

Just driven from St Neots and Skanska are setting up a compound and there is some activity in some areas so presume the Legal Challenge didnt work?

[NICK 647063]

Apparently work was due to start this month but is now delayed due to a legal challenge.

[jackal]

The timeline is:

18 August - DCO granted. There are 6 weeks for a legal challenge to be lodged.
29 September - TAN file challenge with High Court.

It is really the High Court that is holding things up by taking so long to decide whether to hear the case - NH now don't expect a decision until early 2023. Even if the case is not heard we are looking at months of delay, so the claimant "wins" regardless of the merits of their case.

[frediculous_biggs]

The most exciting development on this project is that the Black Cat in the middle of the roundabout has now acquired a Christmas hat.

The A1 roadworks south of the roundabout appears to be central reservation barrier replacement as there's a 24/7 40mph limit and some missing barriers just north of Sandy

[Barkstar]

Does this sort of behaviour bring the whole process into disrepute? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-c ... e-63964513

To be legally able to halt a major scheme days before spades hit the ground seems just seems wrong. No doubt it was deliberate on the part of the protesters and will likely just end up upping the cost of the scheme considerably.

Of course schemes need scrutiny and objections need to be heard because they can and do sometimes make for a better scheme but doing this makes a mockery of the process.

[jackal]

Does this sort of behaviour bring the whole process into disrepute? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-c ... e-63964513

To be legally able to halt a major scheme days before spades hit the ground seems just seems wrong. No doubt it was deliberate on the part of the protesters and will likely just end up upping the cost of the scheme considerably.

Of course schemes need scrutiny and objections need to be heard because they can and do sometimes make for a better scheme but doing this makes a mockery of the process.

As mentioned above, the challenge was filed on 29 September, at least a couple of months before NH would have started work. If anything needs to be looked at it's the slow pace of the High Court.

[Chris56000]

If the High Court had any sense, they would disallow the objection as time–barred – it literally went in on the very last day of the six weeks!

We nearly didn't get the A683 Bay Gateway because of exactly this sort of nonsense!

Chris Williams