Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority approve £2.1m for permanent closure of Kings Dyke level crossing

The Combined Authority has will release £2.1 million of funding to close the railway level crossing at Kings Dyke.

On 11 July, the new bridge over the railway, between Peterborough and Whittlesey, was officially opened.

It has been named the ‘Ralph Butcher Causeway’ after the councillor who campaigned for 50 years to ease traffic.

Mr Butcher was in the Whittlesey Urban District Council and protested during the 1970s until his retirement in 2017.

From 9.30am, Monday morning traffic was diverted onto the new bridge - and only local access to the old road was permitted.

The level crossing, which has caused so much anguish to drivers for 50 years, is now to be permanently closed costing £2.1m.

At the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Transport and Infrastructure Committee, on 13 July, councillor Chris Boden said it was a "great shame" Ralph Butcher couldn't attend the official opening because of ill health.

He added that new bypass has cost £29.98 million – which was contracted to Cambridgeshire County Council to deliver – but he has been left scratching his head after sums don’t quite add up.

Concerns over additional costs

He said: “We costed the project at £29.98 million and contracted Cambridgeshire County Council to deliver it for us.

"We then took out £3.5 million of COVID risk contingency and, as a consequence of that, we now have to pay 60 per cent of that sum, which is £2.1 million.

“And, if we have overrun by £3.5 million, then how come? Everybody says we’ve finished this project way ahead of time, there were no weather delays and with very few additional costs. I just don’t get it.”

Anna Graham, transport program manager, said: “Just to clarify, when the CPCA drew down that £3.5 million of risk contingency, it automatically became liable for its share of the risk which was 60 per cent, or £2.1 million.

“So even though not all the risks covered may have happened, and that could potentially mean they will not all be charged for, the liability cover was set at £3.5 million and the CPCA is therefore liable for its share.”

Councillor Boden replied: “I have to say I find this all rather unsatisfactory. The county council is contracted by us to carry out this work and they’re now asking us to make payment for something which may, or may not be required, and furthermore they’re not giving us numbers to be able to justify it.

“I just find that unsatisfactory to be quite honest. I fully accept that by taking on the liability we are expected to pay 60 per cent of any amount which there may be over and above the £29.98 million costs which were originally budgeted for – no problems with that at all.

"But we’re not being told that is the case and it just seems to me a very strange way of a relationship between ourselves and our contractor who is effectively the county council.”

The members of the committee unanimously agreed to release funds of £2.1 million to ensure the permanent closure of the Kings Dyke railway level crossing, with the caveat that the costs figures are investigated and reported back to them at their next meeting in September.