46 WARM SPACES NOW AVAILABLE AFTER DISTRICT COUNCIL AWARDS THREE FURTHER COMMUNITY CHEST GRANTS

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Press release from Huntingdonshire District Council:

Three further Community Chest grants have been awarded to aid the set up and on-costs of Warm Spaces across Huntingdonshire, taking the total available to 46.

St Peter’s Church, Kings Ripton has been awarded £500 and will use the money to pay for heating costs and offer coffee mornings and hot food. The Warm Space will take place once week in the local village hall and will be ran by local volunteers, encouraging villagers to meet in the warm with other members of our community.

Hilton Village Hall has been awarded £500 and will use the money to provide films, games and hot drinks for participants in their Warm Space. They will provide a supportive space for residents to come to be warm and socialise with local members of their community.

Pidley Village Hall has been awarded £500 and will be using the money to help with heating costs and to provide tea, coffee and soup for anyone within the community. This warm space will benefit Pidley and Fenton villagers as well as residents of the surrounding village who may feel like they would like some company or a safe place to keep warm.

Chuchwarden for Kings Ripton Church, Bronwen Rayner, said: “The HDC funding is allowing our church to supply a warm space in the village hall with lunches and refreshments that will benefit the entire local community by providing fun, friendship and fellowship on a weekly basis.

“The funding will cover costs of food and heating bills to provide a focal point for villagers to congregate and hopefully promote a social hub that will continue to improve community life in the future.”

Hilton Village Hall Committee Member, Heather Chambers, said: “This grant has enabled us to offer the community various activities which they can enjoy in the warm, be together and will continue to build on the community spirit which Hilton enjoys.

“We will be running a weekly coffee afternoon on Fridays where people can bring games, chat and keep warm, starting on Friday 20th January from 3-6pm.

“We are also running monthly film showings starting with ‘Lightyear’ on Saturday 28th January at 5:30pm. Two further dates are 18th February and 18th March.”

Chairman of Pidley Village Hall, Sarah Chukoloca, said: “The funding really helps us to heat the building and provide basic provisions for anyone who wishes to use them. We want to use our community centre to reach out to people in times of need. We are a small community but we have some very dedicated volunteers that run and look after this valuble village space.

“The funding enables us to provide a warm place for residents of the village and surrounding villages, to come and have some company and a safe place to retreat in times of need. We have free wifi available and some tea/coffee facilities if required.

“The village hall and community centre were bought/built by the community, for the community and I hope we can provide this space for years to come even during these times of great uncertainty for so many.”

Executive Councillor for Community and Health, Cllr Ben Pitt, said: “As a local authority, it is always a priority to support our communities in times of need.

The overwhelming support towards the Warm Spaces project is on-going, and I am thrilled we are able to continue supporting them with Community Chest Grant funding.

Residents are continuing to make difficult choices through the colder months, and the Warm Spaces are offering valuable support for our communities.”

Find out more information on the Warm Spaces in Huntingdonshire.

TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF THROUGH TRAFFIC ORDER 2023/146

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NOTICE is given that Cambridgeshire County Council has made an Order pursuant to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, as amended by the Road Traffic (Temporary Restrictions) Act 1991, the effect of which is to stop any vehicle from proceeding along various roads as set out in Schedule 1 below. Nothing in this Order shall prevent access and egress from premises or land adjacent to the highway mentioned in Schedule 1. The Order is necessary for safety reasons to facilitate carriageway resurfacing and associated works. The proposed Order will come into operation on 1 February 2023 and will continue until these works have finished or on the 31 July 2024 whichever is the earlier. It is anticipated that this order will apply to the locations, at various times during the dates specified in the Schedule. The Order shall not apply to any persons lawfully engaged in connection with any works for which it is made, any member of the Police Force, Fire and Rescue Service, Ambulance Service, a vehicle being used by Special Forces during the execution of their duties or to any person acting with the permission or upon the direction of a Police Officer in uniform.
Steven Cox, Executive Director, Place and Sustainability, New Shire Hall, Emery Crescent, Enterprise Campus, Alconbury Weald, Huntingdon, PE28 4YE

Schedule of road closures

B1040 Potton Road, Hemingford Grey

B1040 St Ives Road, Hilton

Local Transport and Connectivity Plan Update

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The Combined Authority’s Transport and Infrastructure Committee has been updated on progress with the developing plan to deliver a better transport future for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

The Local Transport and Connectivity Plan (LTCP), when completed, will be the region’s statutory transport plan, and will set a vision, priorities and strategy to guide future investments into infrastructure including roads, rail, buses, and cycling and walking projects.

The Committee was updated with the feedback from last year’s consultation on the draft LTCP and were advised that updated Government guidance on Local Transport Plans nationally, of which the LTCP is one, is still pending. This guidance will be essential in ensuring that the final LTCP will meet the requirements set out by the Government’s Department for Transport.

The LTCP consultation ran from May to August 2022 and included in-person events across the region. The consultation could be completed online or via post. As well as members of the public, stakeholders across the region were engaged with including those from the education and health sector, businesses and other community groups. The draft LTCP was also developed in close collaboration with the county, district and city councils.

The document includes ‘Connectivity’ in the title to reflect the importance of the internet on transport, including how home working has impacted on people’s journeys. The draft strategy broadly set out a vision for transport to support a more prosperous, fairer, more accessible, better connected, less polluting and lower carbon transport network, which also delivered better public health. The draft LTCP aims to make public transport, and cycling and walking infrastructure better, reaching more people and making it a more attractive alternative to the car. The strategy aims to cut the miles driven on roads in the region by 15%.

Highlights from the consultation feedback include:

• 65% either strongly agreed or agreed with the proposed LTCP vision.

• When asked about the proposed LTCP goals, 51% strongly agreed with climate, followed by 50% for the environment, and 49% who strongly agreed that improved health outcomes should be a key goal.

• When asked about the proposed LTCP objectives, 54% strongly agreed that this should include improvements to air quality. This was followed by 53% who strongly agreed with climate change, followed by 52% who strongly agreed with improved accessibility.

• When asked about whether there were any further comments on the LTCP’s vision, goals, and objectives, more ambitious net zero targets were the prevailing comment.

• 66% either strongly agreed or agreed with the proposal to cut the number of miles driven on roads by 15%. The prevailing comment was that this target should look to be more ambitious.

The consultation feedback has been accompanied by a ‘You Said, We Did’ document outlining how the responses will be considered in the production of a final LTCP.

With the Government guidance on Local Transport Plans still awaited and the forthcoming local elections, the current aim is to put a final LTCP document to the Combined Authority Board for approval in June.

The Committee approved the use of £278,571 already set aside for the LTCP programme to undertake the next stages of its development.

Deputy Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Cllr Anna Smith, said: “Transport is such an important issue for our region. Too many people, especially in our rural areas, still face no option but to use the car because public transport doesn’t serve them well enough yet.

“We must make sure the LTCP meets the guidance which is to be set down by Government so that we can deliver on our transport ambitions for the whole region. While we await fresh guidance, we will continue to work with them to make sure the LTCP is being developed in the right way. The Combined Authority is also using the very detailed feedback received in the consultation to make the final plan better.”

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority draft Bus Strategy consultation

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Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority is asking members of the public and stakeholders to have their say on its draft Bus Strategy in a consultation which will run until 22nd February 2023.

The Bus Strategy sets the vision for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough which is for a comprehensive network of bus services across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough that people find convenient, easy to use, reliable, affordable, and offers an attractive alternative to the car.  The purpose of the Bus Strategy is not to examine detailed, granular issues around specific routes and services; more to outline the key, strategic aims, objectives, and aspirations the region has for its bus network to enable the Combined Authority and partners to bid for further funding and shape the network to meet the needs of residents and businesses.

The survey can be found here.

Temporary prohibition of through traffic – The Green and Grove End

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NOTICE is given that Cambridgeshire County Council has made an Order pursuant to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, as amended by the Road Traffic (Temporary Restrictions) Act 1991, the effect of which is to stop any vehicle from proceeding along The Green and Grove End, Hilton as lies between Heronswood and The Grange Coach House. Access will be maintained to properties affected by this order. The alternative route for vehicles is via Church End – B1040 – High Street (C181) – High Street and vice versa. The Order is made to facilitate new water connection works which are being carried out on or near this highway and it will come into operation on 11 January 2023 and continue until these works have finished or on the 10 July 2024 whichever is the earlier. It is anticipated that these works will be carried out between 11 January and 17 January 2023.

Further information is available below:

D2379585 – The Green Hilton TTRO

31312 The Green Hilton Huntingdon – Road closure diversion – PE28 9NB

23-080 The Green, Hilton

Papworth Surgery Patient Link Committee

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Papworth Surgery Patients’ Link Committee is looking to recruit some new members. The Patient Link committee is to be a bridge between staff and patients, to help the surgery find  constructive ways  of improving both the patient and staff experience. It is also a useful communication process to feedback patient views into other forums which they link to across the Health and Social care sector.  New representatives can bring with them new ideas, energy & commitment.

If people are interested in improving the local healthcare services and would like more information then they can contact the new Chairperson for Patient Link via email  .

 

A1307 Spittals to Fenstanton Biodiversity Improvements

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National Highways have advised that they plan to carry out work to improve the biodiversity at 12 sites along the A1307 between Spittals Interchange and Fenstanton. The sites are currently in a poor condition and require improvement to help them thrive. This will include rotovating the sites and planting new greenery to mature and grow over the coming months.

They plan to complete the work overnight on weeknights between 8pm and 6am, weather conditions permitting.

Details of the closures can be found in the table below:

Dates Closure Diversion
Monday 9 January and Tuesday 10 January (2 nights) J25 Hemingford Abbots – Westbound lane 1 on the approach to J25, eastbound exit slip road and westbound entry slip road Traffic will be diverted along the A1307 to Godmanchester interchange, turn around and re-join the eastbound carriageway and exit at New Road for Hemingford Abbots.

For traffic coming from local roads (New Road, Rideaway) intending to join A1307 Westbound, the diversion goes through Junction 26, turn around and re-join the westbound carriageway, followed yellow diverted traffic signs.
Wednesday 11 January (1 night) J26 St Ives – Eastbound lane 1 on the approach to J26, eastbound exit slip Eastbound traffic will be diverted via St Ives Road, re-join the A1307 westbound to
Thursday 12 January and Friday 13 January (2 nights)

Monday 16 January to Wednesday 18 January (3 nights)

 J26 St Ives – Westbound lane 1 on the approach to J26, Westbound exit slip road and Westbound entry slip road Westbound traffic will be diverted along the A1307 to A14 Swavesey Northern Roundabout, turn around and re-join the A1307 to use the westbound J26 exit slip road.
Monday 23 January to Thursday 26 January (4 nights) J27 Fenstanton – Westbound lane 1 on the approach to J27, westbound exit slip road and eastbound entry slip road For access to Fenstanton, westbound traffic will be diverted along the A1307 to J26, turn around and re-join the A1307 to exit from the eastbound slip road.

To travel westbound from Fenstanton, traffic will be diverted along the A1307 to Swavesey Northern Roundabout, turn around and re-join the A1307 westbound.

How to find out more

Further information on this work including maps of the diversion routes can be found on their website here https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/east/east-road-maintenance-work/

To find out more about road improvements we’re carrying out across the East of England, please visit their website at https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-work/east/.

If you would like more information, please contact them on 0300 123 5000, or by email at .

 

East West Rail Newsletter

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Newsletter received from East West Rail:

Welcome to the final newsletter of the year, where you’ll find the latest news from across East West Rail (EWR). I know many of you have been waiting for an update on EWR, so following the positive news in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, I wanted to provide an update in the introduction to this edition as to where we are, what we know, and when to expect further news.

The whole EWR team has worked hard this year reviewing the consultation responses and refining our proposals to take account of all the useful feedback we have received. We have also been focused on setting out the case for EWR to inform Government decisions on the project.

Therefore, I was delighted in November when the Chancellor made clear in his Autumn Statement the Government’s commitment to EWR and stressed again how important this project is to local communities, and to help develop long term growth for the whole of the country.

The statement gave us the green light to move forward – so we are in the process of finalising our recommendations for consideration by Government in the early part of 2023. Once that’s happened, we will then be able to respond formally to the consultation and update local communities on the route choice. I don’t have a confirmed date for that publication yet, but as soon I do I will let you know.

I do recognise that people have been waiting a long time, and when I joined EWR Co in April I expected to publish an update on the project quickly. However, given the changes in Government over the past 6 months, I hope you will appreciate that progress hasn’t been entirely within my control.

I completely understand the importance of certainty. The Chancellor’s commitment was great news for the businesses who needed certainty about EWR so they can crack on with their long term investment plans. It was also good news for the local authorities who see EWR as integral to delivering on local ambitions – as well as for the 71% of local people between Oxford and Cambridge who think a new east-west public transport link is a good idea.

But for those people I’ve spoken to whose homes could be impacted by the railway, I know that certainty about the route choice is also critical, and the whole team here is focused on bringing that certainty as quickly as possible. My personal pledge as we close out the year is to work with Government and the team to publish an update as soon as possible.

Huntingdon Constabulary Community Meetings

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Below are links to the forthcoming community meetings for 2023 which you are welcome to register to attend.

 

Survey – https://bit.ly/3Wx8krJ

Meetings –

14 March

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/huntingdon-community-engagement-meeting-march-2023-tickets-492260021977

13 June

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/huntingdon-community-engagement-meeting-june-2023-tickets-492260804317

12 September

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/huntingdon-community-engagement-meeting-september-2023-tickets-492262258667

12 December

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/huntingdon-community-engagement-meeting-december-2023-tickets-492262409117

Alternative Fuels Consultation

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The Combined Authority has launched a consultation on a strategy to speed up the switch to electric, hydrogen and other renewable fuelled vehicles in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

They are inviting the public to have their say on a new Alternative Fuels Strategy (AFS) before it is finalised. The AFS aims to help tackle climate change and air pollution by helping Cambridgeshire and Peterborough switch away from petrol and diesel vehicles. The strategy includes alternative fuelled cars, buses, lorries and rail.

The AFS will also support the cleaner growth of the economy and jobs.

Areas the strategy will cover includes:

  • Increasing the amount of electric vehicle (EV) charging points.
  • Encouraging people to choose an alternative fuelled vehicle (AFV) like an electric car.
  • Complement existing work to encourage people to walk, cycle or take public transport as the first choice for journeys, as a way to significantly cut emissions.

It will form a sub-strategy to the Combined Authority’s developing Local Transport and Connectivity Plan, which is planned for adoption in early 2023 as Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s statutory transport plan.

The consultation runs for six weeks and you have until end of day on 21st December 2022 to return your feedback via a short, simple survey.

To find out more, visit our consultation website where you can also fill in the survey.

Hard copies of the consultation materials are available on request. Email   or call 01480 277180. These contact details can also be used to ask questions.