Major road projects in Peterborough move a step closer after new funding approved

The mayoral body’s transport and infrastructure committee approved £600,000 to develop business cases for four infrastructure projects.

Cllr John Holdich, leader of Peterborough City Council, and deputy mayor of the combined authority, called it a “great day” for Peterborough, saying he was confident the plans would “stack up”.

Two specific proposals have now been narrowed down for either end of the Nene Parkway.

The committee approved £140,000 to develop an outline business case for upgrades to the roundabout at Junction 15 on the A47 (Soke Parkway).

Cllr Holdich, a member of the transport and infrastructure committee, welcomed the decisions saying the roundabout “has been a hold-up getting into Peterborough to work and for emergency services for a long while”.

Plans for developments at the other end of the parkway will also progress to outline business case stage. In total, £130,000 was approved to develop the plans for upgrades between Junction 32 of the Nene Parkway (Oundle Road) and Junction three of the Fletton Parkway (where the two parkways meet).

A further £200,000 was approved for a strategic outline business case to assess the options for infrastructure developments around the planned University of Peterborough, particularly the Frank Perkins Parkway.

And £130,000 was approved to develop a strategic outline business case to look at options to improve infrastructure to, as Cllr Holdich put it, “unlock” the proposed 2,000 home Norwood development.

The combined authority report said the infrastructure projects will look to dual a section of the A16 and improve the roundabout with the A47.

Cllr Holdich said of the approved funding to develop the four plans: “It’s a great day. There’s not only safety issues here being dealt with, but there are issues where we can unlock considerable pieces of land for employment and housing.

“It’s going to be multi-millions of pounds attracted to Peterborough”.

The Nene Parkway plans in detail:

(a) Widening of A1260 Nene Parkway northbound to three lanes from Junction 33 (Thorpe Wood roundabout)

(b) A new footbridge between Longthorpe and Thorpe Wood as the existing one provides a constraint to the delivery of the third lane

(c) Associated widening of the Junction 15 circulatory between A1260 Nene Parkway and Bretton Way.

Nene Parkway Junction 32 (Oundle Road slip road)/to the junction with the Fletton Parkway (Junction 3):

(a) Extend Junction 31 (Morley Way) on-slip to Junction 3

(b) Add a flare to A1260 Nene Parkway approach to Junction 3 to create a four lane approach

(c) Add fourth lane to circulatory between A1260 Nene Parkway southbound approach and A1139 Fletton Parkway eastbound exit

(d) Add flare of 150m to A1139 Fletton Parkway westbound off-slip to create a third lane.

(e) Add a third lane to circulatory between A1260 The Serpentine southbound exit and A1260 The Serpentine northbound approach

(f) Add third lane on A1260 The Serpentine northbound to the north of Hargate Way

(g) Add flare to A1260 The Serpentine northbound approach to create a four lane approach

(h) Add fourth lane to circulatory between A1260 The Serpentine northbound approach and A1139 Fletton Parkway westbound on-slip

(i) Install traffic signals on the A1260 Nene Parkway approach to Junction 3

(j) Install traffic signals to A1260 The Serpentine approach to Junction 3.

Ben Hatton, Local Democracy Reporting Service