Combined Authority takes step closer to £10 million parkway upgrade to reduce ‘dense rush hour traffic jams’

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority’s transport committee has voted to take a step closer to finalising a scheme to upgrade a Peterborough parkway, which will cost almost £10 million.

The Combined Authority’s Transport and Infrastructure Committee unanimously voted on January 18 to recommend that the board approves £5,850,000.

It’s for the construction of improvements to the A1260 – at Junction 32 to Junction 3, near the Hampton Roundabout liking the A1139 Fletton Parkway, A1260 Nene Parkway and The Serpentine approaches.

If approved, the funding would come from the Authority’s ‘Medium Term Financial Plan’.

In their unanimous vote, committee members also recommended the board to approve £3,441,880 from the Transforming Cities Fund for a workforce to begin construction – which will include the creation of a third southbound lane on the Nene Parkway from Junction 31 to Junction 3.

The Combined Authority said the plans for improvements to the road aim to reduce the “dense rush hour traffic jams” which road users encounter on the A1260.

It also plans to improve walking and cycling routes – which it hopes to achieve by creating 220 metres of new footpath between Saltmarsh and the Phoenix School, and by upgrading the cycleway for approximately 450 metres between Shrewsbury Avenue and the gated access of the nature reserve.

The Authority described the A1260 Junction 3 as a “gateway to south-west Peterborough, intersecting two of the city’s busiest strategic roads and serving eastbound, westbound, and northbound trips”.

"Many homes and businesses are connected by the route,” and “freeing up such an important strategic junction will help Peterborough realise its potential and pursue aspirations for growth.”

The final package of schemes includes:

- Creating a third southbound lane on Nene Parkway from Junction 31 to Junction 3

- Adding a flare of 150m to A1139 Fletton Parkway westbound off-slip to create a third lane

- Signalisation of the Nene Parkway approach to Junction 3, with a four-lane approach

- Signalisation of The Serpentine approach to Junction 3, with a four-lane approach

- Creating third lane on the A1260 The Serpentine northbound approach, extending around 200 metres back from Junction 3

- Adding 220m of new footpath between Saltmarsh and the Phoenix School

-Upgrading the Cycleway for approximately 450m between Shrewsbury Avenue and the gated access of the Nature Reserve