Peterborough MP makes new push for A1 flyover at Wittering

North West Cambridgeshire MP Shailesh Vara recently chaired an online meeting to discuss a way forward at the accident blackspot.

The meeting was attended by Cllr John Bradshaw and Cllr Geoff Dunckley from Wittering Parish Council, Cllr Peter Hiller (cabinet member for strategic planning and commercial strategy and investments at Peterborough City Council) and Martin Fellows, regional director from Highways England, as well as other representatives.

Mr Vara has campaigned for many years to see a flyover installed and has previously raised the issue with Government ministers as well as Highways England.

Currently, access to the village for motorists travelling southbound on the A1 is provided by a junction which requires traffic to turn across the northbound carriageway of the busy road.

Plans for a flyover, or a similar scheme, had been made a priority by the Government in 2002, but in 2008 the Highways Agency (now Highways England) decided to scrap the project after research suggested the junction would not provide value for money.

However, during a Peterborough City Council planning meeting in 2017 to discuss plans for 190 new homes in Wittering, it was revealed there had been 30 accidents, including two fatalities, within 150m of the A1 junction between 2012 and 2016.

However, Highways England had not raised any objections to the plans due to safety concerns on the road.

For any major improvement works to be carried out they must first be included in the Government’s Road Investment Strategy (RIS).

This sets out a long-term plan for future investment and organisations which takes into consideration evidence presented by Highways England.

The next programme of work for the period 2025-30 is currently being prepared and the purpose of the meeting was to engage with Highways England to help it prepare a report which includes the building of a flyover at the Wittering junction.

Following the meeting, Mr Vara said: “This has been a long-running campaign and, despite strong representations in the past from many people, we have not managed to secure a flyover. The pressure for a flyover continues to increase and I very much hope that his renewed coordinated approach will meet with success.

“This was a very good and constructive meeting which gave Wittering Parish Council, Peterborough City Council and the combined authority an opportunity to engage with Highways England and to discuss the best way forward.

“I am grateful to all those who attended and especially to Martin Fellows and Simon Amor from Highways England.”

Cllr Bradshaw said: “It was very encouraging in these difficult times to take part in a positive Wittering A1 flyover meeting.”

Cllr Hiller said: “For a long time the council has been campaigning for a new flyover at the A1 Wittering junction so we are very pleased that further discussions are taking place between all the key stakeholders and Highways England.

“The village lost its regular bus service because of the safety concerns with this junction and the amount of growth that can occur in Wittering is limited until a new junction is constructed.

“Further meetings have been arranged between all the key partners so that we can put a robust case to government to fund this much needed junction improvement.”

Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough James Palmer said: “The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority is committed to connecting communities and bringing investment into left behind areas.

“We included the Wittering flyover in our Local Transport Plan for that very reason.

“We are committed to working with the parish council and Peterborough City Council to put the evidential case together that will bring forward this long promised, long awaited improvement.”

Mr Fellows said: “Our network is a vital part of everyone’s life and we’ll never stop searching for ways to improve on safety and reliability. We always welcome feedback and suggestions as to ways this can be achieved, and the meeting with Mr Vara and local stakeholders proved to be very useful.

“We will continue working with local representatives to see how we can improve safety at this location.”